Everything She Wants
by RobzBeanie
Summary: It'd be a dirty little trick for God to play to make such a gorgeous creature such a dick. ** BIGGEST DICK EVER CONTEST - Dirty Little Secret-Twist Award chosen by LovelyBrutal **
1. Prologue

**Biggest Dick Ever Contest**

 **Author:** RobzBeanie

 **FFn profile page link:** ~robzbeanie

 **Title:** Everything She Wants

 **Summary:** It'd be a dirty little trick for God to play to make such a gorgeous creature such a dick.

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** M

 **Disclaimer:** The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Edward Cullen.

Well, _Mr. Cullen_ to me. He's my English teacher.

This is Mr. Cullen's fourth year teaching senior English at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. I first noticed him about three weeks into my freshman year when he cut in front of me in the cafeteria line. Now, most teachers do that — but they usually say "excuse me." The man was so drop dead gorgeous — like, he could be modeling for GQ or Dior gorgeous — that I didn't even mind his rudeness. Much.

"Mr. Newton," he says in a derisive voice as he sets the paper down on my classmate's desk. "Keep it up and you'll be asking, 'Do you want fries with that?' for the rest of your life."

Turns out that initial rudeness was a precursor of things to come — Mr. Cullen is a huge dick.

Since Mr. Cullen already had his Masters in Education, he was a couple of years older than most new teachers when he started at Lincoln Park. Rumor had it that he was only teaching high school until he completed his PhD and could get a job at a university.

Fully expecting that he'd be gone before my senior year, I was thrilled when I received my schedule and learned that I'd be in his AP English class. Not just so I could be in the hot teacher's class, but also because I've always loved reading and classic literature and plan to major in something English-related in college. I felt like I'd really be on the same page as him.

Sure, I'd heard the rumors that he wasn't much of a people person, but I'd dismissed them as sour grapes from students who didn't apply themselves. Surely he'd respect the students who put forth a good effort in his class.

"Miss Swan," he nods, setting last week's essay on my desk. I look at the grade marked in red ink in the top right corner — A. There is no such thing as a compliment from Mr. Cullen; at best there's the lack of an insult.

Once all of our papers have been returned, he begins today's lesson. As always, I try not to stare at his handsome face, lest he catch me drooling. In my attempt to look anywhere _but_ his face, my gaze travels downward over his crisp white shirt to the blue pants he's wearing.

And that's when I see it.

The bulge in his pants extends beyond the crotch area into the left leg of his pants. Holy shit, Mr. Cullen has a huge dick!

I can't stop staring. I've never seen a dick that big before — outside of internet porn. OK, _fine_ , I've never had a boyfriend, so it's not like I've seen any unclothed dick in person, but I mean… I've never noticed something that massive in a guy's pants before.

It's mesmerizing. I just can't stop staring for the rest of the period. It's even right at eye level! When the bell rings to signal the end of class, my best friend, Angela, has to tap me on the shoulder to get me up and out of my seat.

Once we've chosen our lunches from the cafeteria, we join the rest of the gang at our usual table. "Oh. My. God. Did you guys see the bulge in Mr. Cullen's pants today?" Jessica asks before we've even sat down.

"You saw it too? I couldn't stop staring!" I gush.

"Man, oh man, what I wouldn't give for a ride on that," Lauren says, licking her ruby red lips. I've gone to school with her since third grade and she's a nice girl — but Lauren is pretty much the school slut. I try not to roll my eyes at her dramatics.

"All right, all right, knock it off," Mike yells in exasperation, placing his hands over his ears. "I do not need to hear about that asshole's dick. I'm trying to eat my lunch here. Jesus."

Angela looks at him sympathetically across the table. "I wish Mr. Cullen could be nicer to you."

Mike sighs. "I know I'm in over my head in that class. I didn't want to take AP English since it's never been my best subject, but my dad insisted that I sign up for every available AP class in the hopes that we can cut down on college expenses."

"Still, he doesn't have to be rude about it," she continues.

"It's only September. Maybe he'll lighten up as the school year progresses and he gets to know us," I suggest.

"Fat chance," Tyler scoffs. "My brother was in his class two years ago; said he's always a dick."

I frown upon hearing that. Mr. Cullen is so good looking that I'd like to believe he's a good person inside that hard exterior. It'd be a dirty little trick for God to play to make such a gorgeous creature — with a huge dick — such a dick.

* * *

Once I've finished my homework that evening, I go online to look for a new fan fiction story to read. I mean, I enjoy classic literature as much as anyone, but now that I have to read books like _A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man_ for class, I don't want to think so hard on my own time.

My current favorite fandom to read is _Vampire Diaries_ ; I'm a huge Delena fan. As I browse through the available stories, I come across a WIP that looks interesting. It's an AU where not only is Stefan Salvatore a student at Mystic Falls High School with Elena Gilbert and all of her friends, but his brother Damon has taken a job there as a _teacher_.

I'm sure you can understand why it appeals to me.

Though Mr. Cullen's hair is more of a reddish-brown color and his eyes are a stunning green rather than blue like Ian Somerhalder's, it's easy to picture him in my mind as Damon as I read the story. Damon even acts like a dick, just like Mr. Cullen, though he has more of a sarcastic wit than I've ever seen my teacher display.

Elena is obsessed with her teacher, frequently fantasizing about having sex with him. My eyes widen as I read some of her more, er, _vivid_ , fantasies. As a virgin, I've gotten quite an education from fan fiction, and I've often wondered if sex is really as awesome as it's portrayed. I mean, I doubt every guy out there is a sex god, but having a huge dick must give Mr. Cullen a leg up. Wink wink.

By the time I've reached the end of the published chapters, teacher Damon has noticed Elena's crush on him and I feel like they're this close to sealing the deal. I can hardly wait for the next update.

Crawling into bed later, my mind swims with images from the story I just read. And that's the first night I dream of Edward Cullen.

* * *

Unbelievable. Mr. Cullen has actually assigned us to memorize Hamlet's famous soliloquy — all 366 words — and recite it in front of the classroom. For a _grade_. Who does that?

While I'm a good student, memorizing has never been my strong suit. Hell, I still don't know the periodic table, though I can recite the Presidents in order.

For a week, I memorize five lines at a time until I seem to have it down. At least, I can say it in my head; I get tongue-tied every time I try to say it out loud. And I drive my divorced father nuts by forcing him to listen for any mistakes when he'd rather be watching the Cubs.

On the day of our speeches, I'm so nervous that my hands are sweating, which never happens to me. Mostly I want to impress my hot teacher, but at the very least, I'd like him not to make me look stupid in front of my peers.

I'd really like to go first — partially to get this shitstorm over with, but also so I don't get the lines mixed up if anyone before me screws up. Before I can volunteer to start us off, Mr. Cullen announces that we'll be going alphabetically. Of course, with the last name of Swan, I'm pretty darn close to the end. At least I'm not Angela Weber, who will have to sit through 22 other monologues before it's her turn.

I try to zone out and not really listen to anyone else's speech. I can tell from Mr. Cullen's barbs that most of my classmates needed to practice more. As is his usual M.O., no one actually gets a "nice job" or anything like that, even if they've done well.

Once Jessica Stanley has returned to her seat, trying desperately to hold back her tears, I take a deep breath and walk to the front of the classroom. Everyone always says that you should picture your audience in their underwear if you're nervous about speaking in public, but given my situation here with Mr. Cullen, that's really not likely to help me.

"Whenever you're ready," Mr. Cullen directs, and closing my eyes, I begin.

 _To be, or not to be: that is the question:_ _  
_ _Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer_ _  
_ _The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,_ _  
_ _Or to take arms against a sea of troubles…_

Once I've recited the final line, I open my eyes and stand motionless, waiting for my teacher's reaction. I don't think I screwed anything up, but I don't know anything anymore.

"You may sit down, Miss Swan."

That's it?! Seriously? Would he actually burst into flames if he gave anyone a compliment? Sighing, I return to my seat, relieved that this cruel and unusual punishment is finally over. I doubt this exercise helped in any way to prepare me for the Advanced Placement exam at the end of the year.

"Great job, Bella!" Angela smiles as we walk out of the classroom after her speech.

"Thanks," I reply shyly. "You did well too, judging from the lack of a reaction."

"I think I messed up a word or two, but he was nice enough not to comment," she laughs.

"Mr. Cullen? Nice?" I deadpan, making her laugh again.

* * *

"Stop tugging on your dress," Angela chastises me for about the fifth time as we stand inside the school gymnasium.

"It's just… I'm not used to showing so much cleavage." I look down, frowning at how much of my skin is showing.

"That's because you only got boobs within the last year," she laughs. "You look great, Bella. Seriously."

I don't know how I let Angela talk me into going to the homecoming dance… with her, since neither of us has a boyfriend. We went shopping for dresses a couple of weeks ago and I picked out a gorgeous midnight blue dress with a sweetheart neckline. The skirt is several inches above the knee in front, but much longer — nearly ankle length — in back.

"Oh, wow!" Angela suddenly exclaims. "Mr. Cullen is here as a chaperone."

My head immediately turns to follow her line of sight. I don't think I've ever seen him at a school function before, but it's definitely him, looking beyond hot in a sports coat and white shirt with the top couple of buttons undone.

"He looks like he's having so much fun," I note dryly.

"Tell me about it," she laughs.

The rest of our gang is here at the dance as well, though they managed to find dates. Jessica and Mike are dating each other now, but I'm not sure how long _that_ will last.

"Someone got to the punch bowl," Tyler says, walking over with his date, Samantha. He's got a red Solo cup full of the spiked punch in his hand.

"On Mr. Cullen's watch?" I ask.

Tyler wrinkles his nose. "That dick is here? Ugh."

About 15 minutes later, Ben Cheney walks over and asks Angela to dance with him. She looks at me to make sure I'm OK with it, and of course I encourage her to accept. She's only had a crush on the guy since sophomore year!

Once both couples have headed to the dance floor, I'm all alone. Bored, I decide to go sample some of that spiked punch. I don't drink much, so I hope it's not too strong.

Drink in hand, I turn around to see Mr. Cullen looking my way, so on a whim, I decide to walk over and talk to him. "Hi, Mr. Cullen," I call as I approach. Damn, he looks even better up close. I can see a hint of chest hair peeking out of the top of his shirt, and he's wearing tight fitting jeans! I try not to stare or look for any sign of his, er, impressive appendage.

"Miss Swan."

At a loss for what to say next — I really should've thought this through a little more — I take a small sip from my cup, grimacing a bit at the strong taste of alcohol.

"The punch is spiked?" he asks angrily.

Shit! I stare at him wide-eyed. I don't want to get anyone here in trouble, but is there any point in lying when he could easily try it for himself?

"You don't have to admit it. I can see it all over your face."

"I-I don't know who spiked it," I stutter. "It's not that strong. I just wasn't expecting it," I add — a little white lie, but hopefully he'll buy it.

Frowning, he starts to walk toward the punch bowl.

"Wait! You don't want to be known as _that_ teacher, do you?" Thankfully, he does stop, raking his fingers through his hair as he stares down at me. Encouraged, I continue, "It's tradition for someone to spike the punch. It's not that big of a deal. Someone would have to drink an awful lot of it to get drunk."

"So just buzzed, right?" he jeers. "As if no one's ever done anything stupid when they're just buzzed."

I don't really know what to say to that. We're at a bit of a stand-off for a long moment before he sighs, leaning back against the wall.

"Shouldn't you be with your date?" Mr. Cullen asks suddenly.

"My date," I begin, using air quotes, "is Angela. And she's dancing with a guy she's had a crush on for two years."

I take another sip of my drink, without grimacing this time. And again we stand beside each other in silence, until I decide to woman-up and start an actual conversation with my hot teacher.

"So… rumor has it you're working on a PhD?"

He nods. "From Northwestern. I should have all of the requirements completed in the next couple of months."

"That's great," I smile genuinely. "And then you'll go teach at a university?"

"If anyone is hiring, yeah."

"Are high school students that bad?" I joke.

"I prefer to teach students who've voluntarily chosen my class and _want_ to be there. If all of my high school students were like you and your friend Angela, it might be a different story."

Is that… a _compliment_?! Squee!

"Angela is good at everything and plans to go to med school, but I'd really like to do something related to English in college. I don't think I'd want to teach, but… maybe journalism?" I shrug. "Too bad there's no career where you can just read books for a living."

Mr. Cullen smiles at me, and it's like a chorus of angels singing… seriously, I don't think I've seen this man smile before. It's gorgeous, and he seems like he's maybe not so much of a dick after all.

"Yeah, too bad," he agrees, and I smile back, feeling like we've got something special in common.

He looks me up and down, and maybe it's just my imagination, but it feels like his eyes rake over me, the way a guy's do when he's checking out a woman.

"It's a shame that you got all dressed up in your pretty dress and are spending your night talking to your teacher instead of dancing."

"Oh no," I chuckle. "I have two left feet. No one wants me to be out there dancing, trust me." Internally, I squeal again though — he said my dress is pretty!

"I doubt you're that bad."

"Oh no, trust me, I am!" I insist.

"Dancing isn't difficult; it's all in the leading," he replies. We make eye contact and… something about the way he's looking at me, I almost feel like he's saying _he_ would dance with me.

If only he weren't my teacher and we weren't at my high school's homecoming dance, that is.

It seems so intense that I look away, back across the gymnasium to where I see Angela standing with Mike and Jessica. I clear my throat, then look up at Mr. Cullen. "Um, my friends are off the dance floor now, so… Thank you for hanging out with me, and… thank you for not tossing the punch bowl," I add, hoping it's not a bad idea to bring it up again.

"I should be thanking you for brightening up my night," he says with a small smile. "Have fun with your friends."

Nodding at him, I reluctantly turn away, heading back to the gang.

"Why were you talking to Mr. Cullen?" Mike accosts me as soon as I get there.

I shrug. "Why not? I got bored hanging out by myself. He's really not that bad when you get him one-on-one."

"Right," he scoffs.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Angela says.

"Oh, no! I didn't mean to make you feel bad. It wasn't a hardship to talk to him at all. Now tell me about Ben…"

* * *

I have Spanish with Ms. Goff for my third period class, just before English. Once we've completed our exam, about a week after homecoming, she says that we can turn in our test papers and read quietly, so I do just that. Taking out my phone, I check Facebook and Instagram first, then my emails, nearly squealing out loud when I see a new Alert with an update to my favorite Delena story.

Wasting no time clicking on the link, I begin reading the latest chapter, wondering if this is the one where they finally do the deed.

And… then the bell rings. Damnit! I should've checked my emails first.

I hurriedly slide my phone into the side of my purse and gather up my things to head to Mr. Cullen's classroom. As soon as I've sat down, I start to pull my phone out, but instead, Jessica, who sits in front of me, asks me a question about the book we're discussing today. By the time she's left me alone, Mr. Cullen has shut the door to begin class.

We're reading _Wuthering Heights_ now, which I've already read on my own multiple times. As we discuss the book, I sneakily slide my phone out of my purse when Mr. Cullen's back is turned, placing it on top of the open paperback. And then I begin to read.

" _What's this?" Damon asks, picking up the notebook where I've embarrassingly written Elena+Damon inside little hearts. "Mmmm… you've been a bad girl, Elena. I think you need to be punished."_

 _Yes, please, punish me, I think to myself. Pulling me from my seat, he grabs both sides of my blouse and tugs, exposing my lacy bra as the buttons go flying. Smirking at me, he reaches for my left nipple, squeezing and pulling through the lace until it's hard as a rock._

" _Bend over," he orders, and I quickly obey, leaning forward across my desk. I squeal as my teacher yanks down my underwear, hoisting my skirt up until I feel a cool breeze across my ass._

" _I'm going to fuck you now," he whispers in my ear. "I hope you're ready—"_

"Miss Swan."

Mr. Cullen's loud voice startles me as his hand suddenly snatches my phone off my desk. I stare up at his face as his eyes scan the screen, and I swear I see them darken slightly. "Not exactly great literature."

"N-no, Sir," I whisper.

"You may have this back after class." Turning and walking away, he sets my phone down on the corner of his desk, resuming class by asking Tyler a question.

Oh my God… how much of that did he read? Does he realize the parallel to real life? I mean, I haven't drawn little hearts on my notebook since like seventh grade, but still. I can feel my face flaming in embarrassment, just thinking about what he's going to say to me after class. I can't imagine that he'll just hand my phone back without a word.

I spend the rest of the class just staring at the clock, growing more nervous by the second as I think about what I might have to face when class ends. When the bell does finally ring, I nearly jump out of my skin.

Slowly I pack up my things and stand, taking a deep breath as I attempt to calm my racing heart. As I approach the front of the classroom, I move like a condemned woman walking toward the gallows. Mr. Cullen is perched on the corner of his desk, just watching me as I take one step after another closer to him.

Swallowing thickly, I force myself to make eye contact. "M-may I have my phone back… please?"

He picks up my phone, holding it out to me with his right hand. As I reach for it, he suddenly pulls it back out of my reach.

"I'm disappointed in you, Miss Swan."

"Y-yes, Sir," I whisper, staring down at my feet. I feel about five inches tall.

"Reading… _that_ instead of paying attention to the class?" he spits in what sounds an awful lot like disgust.

"I've already read _Wuthering Heights_ several times," I protest, hoping to keep the conversation far away from what I was actually reading.

"Irrelevant. Your behavior today showed a stunning lack of respect for me and your fellow classmates."

"It won't happen again, Mr. Cullen," I reply automatically.

"Good," he nods. "It had better not, or I'll be collecting your phone at the start of each class. You may leave."

Nodding, I take my phone from his outstretched hand, nearly running out of the classroom. Once I've reached the hallway, I let out the breath I'd been holding, then hurriedly head to the cafeteria to join my friends.

"Swan!" Tyler calls as I near the table. "At least you're still in one piece."

"Yeah," I chuckle, sitting down with a plop. I pick up my slice of pizza and take a large bite.

"How bad was it?" Angela asks kindly.

I shrug, quickly swallowing. "I got a lecture on respect. It definitely could've been worse."

Understatement.

* * *

For the next several weeks, I can't look Mr. Cullen in the eye. I still don't know how much he read in those few seconds that he scanned the small screen of my iPhone. Enough to realize that it wasn't "great literature," but was it enough to understand my crush on him? Do I even _want_ him to understand?

A part of me does want him to notice my crush, but only if he's interested in me as well. But that's stupid. Mr. Cullen must be 27 or 28 years old — what would he want with a high school senior? Not to mention the fact that relationships between teachers and students are strictly forbidden.

Perhaps he'd be interested in starting a relationship after I graduate. My first choice for a college next year is the University of Illinois, a couple of hours away in Champaign; maybe he could get a job teaching there. Oh, but I'd probably end up in his class again, so that would suck.

It's not like I'm hideous or anything. Since I got past the awkward stage with braces, I've been told I'm pretty… by my father. But then he probably has to say that. Mr. Cullen _did_ say my dress was pretty. For just a few seconds at the homecoming dance, I felt like he may have returned at least some of my attraction. No, it _could_ work, I tell myself.

Yeah, in my dreams.

* * *

The vast majority of students dress up in our Halloween costumes on the last Friday in October. For the past several years, I've dressed as a character from classic literature. It's sort of my thing. This year, I've chosen Daisy from _The Great Gatsby_ , which is on our reading list for next semester. I purchased a silver 1920s style dress from a thrift store, along with a sparkly headband to hold my long hair off of my face.

Taking my seat in Mr. Cullen's class, I'm disappointed to see that he's not in costume, as most of the teachers are. I should've expected as much.

When he steps out from behind his desk to begin today's discussion, my eyes widen. He's wearing them again — the blue pants that seem to show off the considerable size of his dick better than any other pair he owns. I find myself involuntarily licking my lips as I stare at his crotch, thinking of the blow job scene in the latest Delena chapter posted a couple of days ago. I'm not sure I could deep throat that monster though.

"Miss Swan." I jump, startled as Mr. Cullen pounds his fist on my desk. "I asked you a question."

He did? Shit… "C-could you repeat the question?"

"I asked you about the theme of the story," he repeats slowly, enunciating each word.

"The theme?" I squeak. My mind is mush right now… and still in his pants. What the fuck is a theme?

"Yes, the theme. _Jude the Obscure_ is so much more than just a soap opera. Miss Weber, care to help your friend out?"

Oh thank God, he's moved on to Angela. I stare down at my desk, wishing I had my usual curtain of hair to hide behind so he can't see the redness that I'm sure covers my face. I just hope he doesn't realize what I was staring at.

When the bell rings, I hurriedly put away my things, hoping to make a quick exit from the room. But alas, it's not to be.

"Miss Swan, please stick around for a few moments." Shit, another lecture on paying attention?

I walk toward Mr. Cullen's desk, giving a small smile to Angela as she passes me on her way out the door. He seems to look me up and down, similar to how he'd looked at me the night of homecoming. Once the last student has left, he walks over and closes the door. My brow furrows as he appears to lock it as well. What the hell?

Stepping away from the door, he pauses just a foot or so in front of me, looking at me expectantly.

"W-was there something you needed, Mr. Cullen?" I ask tentatively.

He shakes his head, making me even more confused. "It's not about _me_ ; it's about what _you_ want."

"Me?" I cringe as my voice seems to rise an octave.

Suddenly he reaches out to grab my right hand, placing it firmly against the impressive bulge in his pants. What. The. Fuck.

"Is this what you wanted?" he asks, almost seeming to taunt me. He directs my hand up and down, so that the heel of it presses against the… very… long… length of his dick. Holy shit! On the second pass, it seems to grow even longer.

"Answer me. Is this what you wanted?"

"Y-yes," I manage to reply. Oh my God, what is happening? Does this mean he feels the same attraction that I do? My head is almost spinning as I continue to caress his dick through his pants.

I yelp when he suddenly reaches out with his other hand to tweak my left nipple through the thin fabric of my dress. It hardens instantly under his ministrations, and I start to feel this _want_ between my legs.

"Still what you want?" he asks, staring into my eyes. I barely manage a nod.

In a flash, Mr. Cullen's hands retreat and he's down on his knees before me. My eyes widen as he reaches beneath my dress with both hands, grasping the sides of my underwear. My mouth hangs open in shock as he tugs them down.

He raises one eyebrow and I follow his unspoken command, stepping out of my pale pink panties.

"A _thong_ , Miss Swan?" he taunts, stuffing them into the right front pocket of his pants.

I shrug helplessly as he gets to his feet; sue me, I didn't want VPL.

"Still want this?" he asks. I nod again. "Say it. Out loud."

"Yes," I whisper. "I want this," I add a little louder, eagerly anticipating whatever is coming next. All of my fantasies could come true!

"Ohhhhh…" I moan as he presses his fingers between my legs.

"Yes… you really do want this." He sounds almost awed as he begins sliding his fingers back and forth through the growing wetness. My breath hitches as one of his fingers makes its way inside me, moving in and out very slowly. I've touched myself before — while imagining it was his fingers — but it's never ever felt anything like this.

I idly wonder if I should be doing something… should I put my hand back on his dick? Before I have a chance to ask, he pulls his hand away from me.

"Open my pants," he orders, his bossiness causing another flood between my thighs.

Dropping my backpack to the floor, I reach out with shaking hands. After unbuckling his belt, I open the button on his slacks and slide the zipper down. When I'm finished, I keep my hand on his crotch, looking up at him for my next instruction.

"Now take out what you want."

Taking a deep breath, I fumble around for the hole in his boxers, sliding my fingers inside once I've found it. I wrap one fist around the warm skin of his dick, then carefully pull it through the hole.

"Oh fuck…" I mumble under my breath. Hard as a rock, it's even bigger than it seemed through his pants. Hell, my fingers don't even fit all the way around his dick! I slowly move my hand from base to tip, marveling at the imposing length — at least nine inches by my estimation. It's nearly as long as one of my feet. How could that thing ever fit inside _any_ woman?

I find a small bead of moisture at the tip, spreading it around with my thumb as I slowly jack him off. Looking up at his face, he doesn't seem the slightest bit affected by what I'm doing.

"As good as you imagined?" he asks, his eyes smirking at me. Assuming that's a rhetorical question, I don't answer him — my awe must be pretty obvious.

"Now, I believe you wanted to be bent over a desk." He tilts his head toward his large wooden desk, but I stand motionless, staring at it.

Mr. Cullen is actually offering to fuck me! He not only read the passage from the Delena fic, but he clearly understood the implications. My mind is too muddled to figure out what this means, beyond the fact that I can lose my virginity to the Biggest Dick Ever.

Oh… oh dear… should I warn him that I'm a virgin? He'll likely be more gentle then. Or will that little bit of info put an end to… whatever this is?

"If you don't want this, just say so."

I look up at Mr. Cullen to find him watching me warily, and then I slowly take a couple of steps forward until I'm nearly pressed up against the desk. With a deep breath, I bend forward until my chest is lying on top of it.

I'm aware that my dress is being lifted very slowly, until I'm sure that my bottom half is completely exposed to him. I wonder if he likes what he sees; it's not like I have the most curvaceous backside in school.

When I feel what must be the rounded head of his dick sliding along my lower lips, I close my eyes and take one more deep breath, holding it in. There is no way with a dick this size that this isn't going to hurt, but I can't let him know that it's my first time or I'll risk him stopping.

Once he starts to press inside, I grip the edge of his desk with my right hand, trying not to bite a hole in my lip. I can feel him stretching me, which is strange at first before turning downright painful. Oh my God… how much further inside can he go?

I let out the breath I've been holding when he finally, finally begins to retreat, then can't hold in a yelp when he pushes back inside much harder and faster… and even deeper than the first time! Squeezing my eyes tightly shut, I try to stay quiet as he builds up a rhythm, my hips bumping against the desk with each thrust.

At some point, the pain gives way to an intense pleasure. I can feel every inch of his big thick dick as he pumps in and out, his hands gripping my ass tightly. I wonder if he'll actually make me come. I mean, pretty much every girl I know says she didn't come her first time, but then their male partners were usually inexperienced teenagers and not a man with a huge dick.

The room is quiet except for the sounds of my heavy breaths and moans and his hips slapping against mine. He doesn't even appear to be breathing hard. I wonder how long he can keep this up? Does a big dick give a man more stamina, too?

"Shhhh…" he cautions after one particularly load moan. I sound like a freakin' porn star and I'm totally embarrassed, but it's so fucking good that I can't help myself. This is much better than I'd ever imagined it could be.

"Fuck," he grunts, a break in his perfect control. His thrusts are becoming erratic now. Just when I think I might actually orgasm, he freezes, buried so far inside me that I feel like he's touching my throat. He groans loudly, then with one last squeeze of my ass cheeks, his dick is gone.

As I try to slow my breathing, I hear the sound of his zipper. I want to stand up and face him, but I've just been fucked within an inch of my life by the Biggest Dick Ever and can't bring myself to move.

"Make sure there's no evidence left behind when you leave."

I lift my head just as I hear the sound of the classroom door closing. What the actual fuck? He fucked me and then just left? My God, I knew he was a dick, but really?

Bracing my hands on the desk, I stand up straight, cringing at the feeling of his jizz leaking out of me. I can't believe he came inside me without asking! He has no idea whether or not I'm on birth control! I mean, yeah, I've been taking the Pill for almost three years to make my monthly cycle bearable, but he has no way of knowing that.

I look around for a moment before realizing that Mr. Cullen ran off with my panties! I hurriedly reach down to pick up my backpack, then start walking toward the door. Owww! There's a strange soreness between my legs. I can't afford to wait around much longer though; I've got to get cleaned up before his jizz runs down my leg far enough to be visible beneath my dress.

Carefully, I make my way into the hallway and to the nearest girls' bathroom. I dart into a stall and grab a large handful of toilet paper so that I can clean up. I can see a trace of blood from my lost virginity and wonder if Mr. Cullen noticed it on his dick. How embarrassing would _that_ be?

Once I've used the bathroom, I wash my hands, splash some water on my flushed face, and run my fingers through my hair. When I look presentable enough, I start heading toward the cafeteria. Nodding to the lunch lady, I pick up just an apple, afraid that I won't be able to eat any more than that.

"There you are!" Angela calls as I sluggishly near the table. "I was starting to get worried."

"Are you all right?" Lauren asks, looking at me strangely. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you look freshly fucked."

I chuckle nervously. "I'm fine," I lie. "Just got another lecture then took a walk to clear my head."

"Ae you sure you're OK?" Tyler asks, sounding concerned. I frown; I'd thought I didn't look half bad.

"Yeah," I breathe out. "I'm great." I just need some time to process.

* * *

Later that night, I lock myself in my room and stare at myself in the mirror. I lost my virginity today. To my _teacher_. It's absolutely what I wanted, but now what? Are we going to continue this… whatever _this_ is… in secret for the rest of the school year? I turned 18 last month, but it's still forbidden for teachers to be involved with their students. I don't graduate for another seven months!

The weekend seems to drag on and on, since I'm anxious to see Mr. Cullen again. We should've at least exchanged numbers or something, but he left the room far too quickly.

When it's finally time for my fourth period class on Monday morning, I try hard to control my excitement. Stepping into the classroom, I spot him seated at his desk, writing something in a notebook and looking hotter than ever. I wait for him to look up and acknowledge me, but he never does.

And once class begins, he _still_ won't look at me. It's like last Friday never happened. Throughout the entire class, he never looks my way or calls on me once. After the end of class bell has rung, I think about sticking around to talk to him, only to decide that that would seem too suspicious.

The rest of the week goes by the same way, with no acknowledgement from Mr. Cullen that anything happened between us. It's almost like I'd dreamt it all, except that I _know_ something happened. Yes, I knew the man was a dick, but how could he do this to me? How could the most important event of my life have meant nothing at all to him? I feel almost used, though I'd wanted and enjoyed everything we did.

Our final essay on _Jude the Obscure_ is due on Friday, but with my current state of mind, I'm having a tough time writing anything that I'm happy with. I finally finish it just before midnight on Thursday night.

As I leave my essay on Mr. Cullen's desk the next day, I will him to look up and acknowledge me, but he doesn't. Sighing, I take my seat, vowing not to let him get to me.

After a long weekend and two more days of the same avoidance behavior, Mr. Cullen returns our essays at the start of Wednesday's class. At least he'll be forced to address me directly for the first time in nearly two weeks.

"Miss Swan. Not up to your usual standards," he says, setting the paper on my desk. I glance at the top right corner — B-minus! I've never gotten a grade so low on an essay before. I can feel my face turning bright red, though more from anger than embarrassment. How dare he treat me like this!

"You go on ahead," I tell Angela when class is over. "I want to speak to Mr. Cullen for a moment."

Once everyone else has left, I walk up to where he's again perched on the edge of his desk.

"Is something wrong, Miss Swan?" he asks, crossing his arms in front of himself.

"I—"

"You didn't expect special treatment, did you?"

My eyes widen as I stare at him, tears beginning to threaten thanks to his cold behavior. Before he can see me cry, I rush out of the room. My feelings turn to anger again as I make my way to the cafeteria. By the time I've paid for my meal, I'm boiling mad.

I try not to slam down my tray once I've reached our lunch table. My friends all heard his comment, so they know I probably didn't score an A this time, but they don't know that anything else is wrong. And I can't let them know.

"Geez, Bella, what grade did you get?" Mike asks before I can even say hello.

"A B-minus," I reply angrily.

"Hell, I'd give my left nut for a B-minus from Cullen," he replies… jokingly, I think.

"He could've returned your essay without the commentary," Angela says, patting my shoulder.

Tyler scoffs. "He wouldn't be Cullen if he did that."

"I think he just needs to get laid," Lauren pipes up. I glare at her before I can stop myself.

"It's just… I had a rough week last week," I lament. "And now it's immortalized forever." God, my emotions are all over the place and I sense tears threatening again.

Angela wraps an arm around my back, squeezing me in a gentle hug. "I'm sure you'll still get an A in the class," she says helpfully. Little does she know that the grade is the least of my worries right now.

"Thanks, Ang." I smile gratefully at her attempt to cheer me up.

"There's the man now," Tyler says scornfully, looking over my shoulder. I turn around to see Mr. Cullen standing up from another table and staring over at us.

* * *

The following day we're greeted by a pop quiz in English, eliciting a collective groan from the entire class. I feel like I do well on it though. I'm moving past the anger and betrayal and am now mostly numb.

By Friday's class, our quizzes are already graded and returned to us. Mr. Cullen is in rare form with the put-downs; it seems like most of the class did poorly.

"Miss Swan." I wait for the insult, only it never comes. A-minus. I'll take that. Stuffing the papers into my notebook, I try to concentrate on today's lesson.

When I get home from school, I take out my books to start on my homework. As I open my notebook to review my English notes, the quiz falls out. I pick it up to set it aside, then notice something yellow barely visible through the paper.

Confused, I lift the first page to see a yellow Post-It note stuck to the second page.

 **Lincoln Monument, 4pm**

Glancing at the time on my phone, I see that it's 3:55. Shit! I'm assuming that the note means Mr. Cullen wants me to meet him at the monument in Lincoln Park, but I'll never make it there in the next five minutes! What if he thinks I'm no longer interested?

I hurry down the stairs, grabbing my car keys so that I can drive to the park. I probably break a few traffic rules along the way. Parking in the lot for the history museum, I head straight for the monument. I'm late and I don't know what the chances are that he'll still be there waiting for me.

I breathe a sigh of relief when he comes into view, seated at a bench near the monument.

"I'm sorry," I call between my heavy breaths, "I just now saw your note."

Standing, he shoves his hands into his coat pockets as he takes a step forward, watching me carefully. "What do you want, Miss Swan?"

That brings me up short. "What? You asked me to meet you here."

"What do you _want_ , Miss Swan?" he repeats.

I stare at him in confusion for several moments while I think about how to answer him. What _do_ I want?

"I… I want you to stop acting like such a dick!" I blurt out before I can stop myself.

"You earned that grade, Miss Swan. You're one of my most talented students, but your last essay was not up to your usual standards."

"I don't care about the fucking grade!" I scream in frustration. "I'm talking about the fact that you can't even look me in the eye! I gave you my virginity and you act like nothing happened!"

Mr. Cullen stares at me in horror for several moments before taking his right hand out of his pocket and raking it through his hair. "I can't pay you any special attention in school, Bella," he says tiredly, using my first name for what is likely the first time ever. "How would that look to the rest of your classmates?"

He's right; of course he is. Everyone in school is used to him acting like a dick. If he suddenly started treating me like a human being, my reputation and his _job_ could be on the line.

"I-I'm sorry," I whisper.

Nodding, he gives me a small smile. "Anything else you want, Miss Swan?"

Startled by the repeated question, I remain silent as he steps closer to me and rests his hands on my hips. "I won't take advantage of my position and push you into anything. You need to tell me exactly what you want."

Looking up at him, I see what I hope is a tiny hint of vulnerability, a crack in his mask, and it spurs me on to tell him the truth.

"I want to get to know you better," I finally reply. "S-starting with your lips."

Giving me a little smirk, Mr. Cullen leans in closer until I can feel his breath on my ear. "Where do you want them?" he asks in a husky voice that says I could have the world if I asked for it.

Instead of answering him, I turn my head slightly, until my lips are mere millimeters from his mouth. And then I press my lips against his, sucking gently at his top lip. When he pulls me closer, I open my mouth, inviting him in.

Standing on my tiptoes, I throw my arms around his neck, allowing him to deepen the kiss, and it's perfect. It's everything I could've asked for in our first kiss. His tongue tangles with mine, his lips pull and retreat. And I can feel the Biggest Dick Ever making his presence known against my hip.

When he pulls his mouth away slightly, I almost want to chase it down and continue the kiss. Instead, he rests his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. _This_ is where we should've started, instead of with my fantasy to be fucked over his desk. But we've got another chance now to do things right.

* * *

Unfortunately, I can't stay long after our first kiss; I need to get home and start dinner for my dad. At least we have a chance to exchange cell numbers so that Mr. Cullen doesn't need to leave me Post-It notes on surprise quizzes in order to communicate stealthily.

We send each other a few brief texts over the next week, but we're unable to find a time to meet up where it won't arouse suspicion. Mr. Cullen suggests the following Friday night, but it's our last football game of the season. Though I almost never attend the games, I promised the girls I'd go with them to cheer on our team. Mike is the star running back, while Tyler is a defensive end, and this will be their last ever time in uniform at home.

My dad has tried and failed over the years at getting me to understand football. As we sit in our seats near the… 20-yard-line, someone enlightens me, Angela patiently tries to explain what is happening, but I'm lost.

"Why do they call it _foot_ ball if they just throw the ball?" I wonder aloud, making Jessica laugh.

"They kick field goals and extra points," she clarifies. "Wait and see."

At halftime, the Lincoln Park Lions are up 17-7 — and they did indeed kick the ball a handful of times. Instead of remaining in our seats, we get up to order drinks and snacks from the snack bar. While I'm waiting for my Coke, Jessica calls out, "Hey, Mr. Cullen!"

I turn around automatically, my eyes widening as I spot him… with his arm around a gorgeous blonde woman. What the actual fuck? He has a girlfriend and didn't think it was important to tell me?

"Good evening," he says, nodding toward us. "Tanya, these are some of my students. Girls, this is my wife, Tanya."

* * *

 **This entry won the judges' Best Dirty Little Secret-Twist Award from Lovely Brutal. Thank you to all involved in the Biggest Dick Ever contest!**

 **Yes, Edward is a dick for not telling Bella he was married. That was the point of the contest.**

 **Yes, I will be extending this story, though I'm not sure when it'll start posting. I have an outline in my head.**

 **I am currently (8/12) 60,000 words into pre-writing another fic that I had started before the contest came up, and that story will be finished before I can work on the extension of this one. I'll say by the end of the year, but give this story a Follow if you're interested and you'll know when the time comes!**

 **Thanks to moosals for pre-reading as well as making the banner and FF book cover!**

 **P.S. The title is a Wham! Song from their** _ **Make It Big**_ **album. RIP George Michael. I haven't posted since his death.**


	2. Chapter 1: Love Bites

**Author Note:** Thanks for your patience! Fasten your seat belts for this one!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 1 – Love Bites_

Time freezes. I couldn't possibly have heard Mr. Cullen call the blonde woman his… _wife_?

"I didn't know you were married!" Jessica exclaims loudly.

Mr. Cullen looks at her, then glances to her left — toward me — his eyes widening as he perhaps notices me standing there for the first time. "I've never kept it a secret," he shrugs, eyes boring into mine.

"So nice to meet all of you," the woman says with a smile. She has some sort of accent, as if English isn't her first language, but I can't quite place it.

Mr. Cullen nods at her and they continue on past us to give their orders at the snack bar. I stare after them, still in shock.

"Bella!" Angela yells, and I turn to face her. "Your drink," she says, nodding toward the counter. I pick up the cup, forcing myself to take a drink from the straw, because I feel like I might pass out if I don't get some sugar soon.

In a daze, I follow my friends back to our seats. "Did you guys have any idea Mr. Cullen was married?" Jessica asks.

"Not a clue," Angela shakes her head. "Did you, Bella? You talked to him for a while at the homecoming dance."

"No… no idea."

"He doesn't wear a wedding ring," Jessica says, oblivious to the pain in my voice. I think back to Mr. Cullen's hands on me — no, definitely no wedding ring.

"Do you want some of my popcorn, Bella?" Angela says, holding the tub out toward me.

"I don't think I could eat another bite," I reply honestly. In fact, I feel like I'm going to be sick.

The two teams soon retake the field, but I can't concentrate on the game. All of my energy is instead going toward keeping myself from breaking down in front of my friends. I've got to keep it together until I'm alone.

Ten minutes later, I'm breathily heavily, torn between wanting to scream and crying. "I'm not feeling well, guys," I say, standing up quickly. "I'm gonna head home."

"Oh," Angela frowns. "You don't look so good. I hope you feel better."

I manage a small smile before I quickly make my way to the end of the row, then rush down the stairs. I always joke that if you see me running, something is chasing me, but tonight I need no incentive. Running at full speed through the parking lot toward my car, I just hope that no one milling about stops me.

Luckily it's Friday night, which means my dad is working late and won't be home when I get there. I allow myself a quick breakdown once I'm safely in the driver's seat before I wipe my eyes and start the engine.

I don't remember much about the drive home. Somehow I make it to my house without running into anything. Once inside, I rush up the stairs to my bedroom and finally allow myself to cry. How could he do this to me? I thought last week in the park that we'd… I don't know… come to a shared understanding? I thought we were both on the same page about exploring our mutual attraction.

How could Mr. Cullen have neglected to mention that he's already married? And what did that line mean tonight — "I've never kept it a secret." Did he think I knew he was married and pursued him anyway? How dare he think that of me!

My tears dry up as anger starts to take over. I'm angry whether he thought I knew and didn't care or whether he didn't think it was important enough to tell me. And then to show up with her at a school function like that? I may not make a habit of attending football games, but my friends do, and the news would've gotten back to me even if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

I hear a muffled noise from across the room. Stopping for a moment, I listen to see if it sounds again. When it does, I realize it's my phone — still in the side of my purse, which is sitting on my desk — dinging with a text message.

I wonder for a moment if it's him, but surely he wouldn't have the gall to text me after what happened tonight. Sighing, I get up off the bed to grab my phone out of my purse.

 **We need to talk.**

"Like hell we do," I say out loud, tossing the phone to the bed.

* * *

The rest of the weekend is just as shitty as Friday night. I spend most of the time alone in my room, since I don't want my father to notice something's wrong and ask about it. What could I do, tell him I had sex with my teacher who turned out to be married? Yeah, no. My dad has guns; that wouldn't end well.

Mr. Cullen sends me a second text on Sunday morning: **Bella, can we please meet at the Lincoln Monument this afternoon? There are some things I need to explain to you.** I ignore it just as I did his first message. There is nothing he can _explain_ that would make this right.

Luckily for me, Dad and a couple of his buddies are spending the morning fishing, so he's not around to hear me screaming at my phone as I go through the steps to block Mr. Cullen from contacting me again.

I spend Sunday evening dreading going to school the next day. I'm just not ready to face my teacher. I briefly consider trying to transfer out of his class, but he's the only one teaching AP English, so I don't have a choice if I want to be able to take the AP exam next spring.

I have no idea how I'm going to sit in his classroom five days a week until May! No, instead of looking at it that way, I just need to take it one day at a time. First, get through tomorrow, then this short week, then… make it to Winter Break before I worry about the Spring semester.

The clock reads 3:30am when I wake up Monday morning with awful stomach cramps. I lie in bed for a few minutes, hoping they'll subside. When they don't, I finally get up and dart into my bathroom.

An hour later, I'm up again. One hour after that, same thing.

When my alarm goes off for school, I groan as I shut it off. The numerous interruptions mean I'm absolutely exhausted. I close my eyes again as I lie back on my pillow.

"Bella!" my dad's voice calls as his fist pounds on my bedroom door. "You're going to be late for school!"

"I don't feel well," I moan, shielding my eyes from the hallway light shining in as he opens my door.

Dad steps closer, staring down at me. "You don't look so good."

"I think maybe I ate something that didn't agree with me," I explain. "I've been up three times in the last few hours."

"All right," he sighs. "I'll call the school for you."

"Thanks, Dad," I mumble, closing my eyes again.

The cramps finally subside by 10am. I crawl out of bed to take a shower and get dressed. My sheets are drenched with sweat, so I change them and make up the bed before flopping onto my back. I should be in English class now; I wonder if Mr. Cullen even notices that I'm not there.

Picking up my phone from the nightstand, I see a concerned text message from Angela, asking if I'm all right. _Not feeling well_ , I text back.

I don't get a response from her until English class is over and she's likely in the cafeteria line.

 **You haven't been sick since Friday night, have you?**

 _No, just since early this morning. It seems to have passed now. I think I ate something bad._

 **Glad you're feeling better! Mr. Cullen seemed concerned when you didn't show up.**

"Sure he did," I say sarcastically to myself.

I spend much of the afternoon napping, finally getting up around 4:30 to start making dinner. My dad is a real meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but the idea of a big chunk of red meat right now — ugh! Instead, I find some fish in the fridge that he caught this weekend and decide to cook that for us, along with sides of mashed potatoes and roasted squash.

"You look better," Dad says as he sits down at the table.

"Yeah, I slept all afternoon."

"Do you think you'll be able to go to school tomorrow?" he asks, spooning the mashed potatoes onto his plate.

My ears perk up at his question. He's offering me an out, a chance to delay having to see Mr. Cullen until next Monday, since we get Wednesday off as part of the Thanksgiving holiday.

"You know it might be best if I stay home tomorrow, too. Give me a chance to kick this once and for all."

"All right," he nods. "I'll call the school again in the morning. Maybe you should ask one of your friends to pick up your assignments for you so you don't get behind."

"That's a good idea," I reply with a smile. "I'll text Angela tonight since she's in most of my classes." Inside, I'm fist-pumping at the delay in going back to school — and it wasn't even my idea!

* * *

My dad's best friend, Harry Clearwater, is another detective with him on the Chicago PD. They went to the police academy together and have been partners for the last 10 years. Harry's wife, Sue, is an awesome cook, and Dad has spent Thanksgivings with the Clearwaters ever since I came to live with him in third grade.

The two of us leave for the Clearwaters' around noon on Thursday so Dad and Harry can spend the afternoon watching TV from their twin recliners. I help out Sue in the kitchen along with her daughter, Leah, who's 16. Her son Seth is 13 and sprawled on the family room floor, watching football with the men.

"All right," Sue sighs, putting the sweet potato casserole into the oven, "now we're just down to watching the clock. I'm gonna set the table; you girls can go relax."

"Thanks, Mom," Leah smiles. "Bella, do you want to come up to my room and check out this new song I downloaded?"

"Sure," I agree, following Leah up the stairs. I've recently started to really hate football.

Once we've reached her room, she closes the door behind us and plops onto her bed. "The song thing was just a ruse. I-I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh, sure," I nod, sitting beside her. "What's up?"

"I was kind of needing some advice, and… you're older. I mean, only two years, but…"

"I'll help if I can," I smile softly.

"So there's this guy I've been seeing for the last few weeks," she begins. "He's so hot; he's a star pitcher on the baseball team."

"Go on," I encourage when she pauses.

"He wants to have sex," she rushes out.

"Is that what _you_ want?"

"Well… no," she admits. "I mean, I do, but… it seems too soon. But I'm afraid that if I keep putting him off, he'll break up with me."

"If he _does_ break up with you over it, then he's not worth your time," I proclaim strongly. "You shouldn't do anything before you're feeling 100-percent ready."

Leah swallows thickly, nodding. "Have you… had sex?"

My eyes widen. Leah and I have been friends for years, but absolutely no one knows about Mr. Cullen and me. And no one _can_ know, unless I'm ready for a huge shitstorm. But Leah doesn't have to find out _whom_ I slept with.

"Yes," I admit. "And I was ready." _Boy, was I ready._ "But… it was still too soon. There were a lot of things I didn't know about him — things that I wish I'd known before I gave him my virginity. And now I can't take it back."

She frowns. "I'm sorry, Bella, for bringing up bad memories for you."

"No, it-it's fine, really. I hope that my mistakes can help you make the right choice."

Leah gives me a small smile. "So you're not still with him?"

"No," I sigh. "Definitely not. And unfortunately, he's at my school so I can't get away from seeing him all the time. Ugh," I groan, flopping onto my back. I don't even want to _think_ about facing Mr. Cullen on Monday.

"Girls?" I hear Sue's voice calling from downstairs. "Dinner will be on the table in a couple minutes."

"Thanks, Mom!" Leah shouts, then turns to me. "And thank _you_ , Bella. I think I'll take your advice and tell Sam I'm not ready for sex. If he breaks up with me, then… at least I've found out in time just what kind of guy he is."

* * *

Later that night, I'm in my bathroom going through my nightly routine. I pull out my packet of birth control pills, removing one pill. As I start to put the packet back into the medicine cabinet, I stop short. There are still two of the brown pills remaining. I always start a new packet on Fridays, which means I'm off schedule. I stare at it in my hand, as if willing what I'm looking at to suddenly change, but of course it never does.

Somehow, I managed to skip two pills this month. Was it earlier this week? Or maybe last Friday, after I found out Mr. Cullen was married? Or was it several weeks ago, when I was upset over the way he was ignoring me?

I've had Sex Ed in Health class; I know that skipping pills means there's a chance I could've gotten pregnant this month. I had my period this week… sort of. It's been light ever since I started taking birth control pills, but this week was _really_ unusually light. What if… it wasn't an actual period at all?

Calmly, I put the packet away and close the medicine cabinet's door, and then I stare at myself in the mirror, my hand unconsciously going to touch my stomach. Is there a chance I could be pregnant with Mr. Cullen's baby? Maybe there's an actual reason why I haven't been feeling well for the last week.

No… no, that's silly. It's just stress. I can't be pregnant. We only had sex once. Yet I can hear my Health teacher's voice repeating in my head as she told us that it only takes one time having unprotected sex to get pregnant. He came inside me, and while I cleaned up in the girls' bathroom afterward, it's not like I… cleaned myself out.

Suddenly, I find myself lifting the toilet lid as I drop to my knees, puking up this afternoon's meal.

 _Fuck._ I need to buy a pregnancy test.

* * *

 **A/N** : So, Bella is alternating between being hurt and angry, but now she's got something new to worry about besides facing Mr. Cullen on Monday. He says he needs to explain something to her — should she let him?

Updates every **Monday** and **Thursday**.

* * *

We're back to guessing 80s song titles for teasers again! However, because of the way this fic is written, where the chapters aren't necessarily complete thoughts, naming them was tough!

The next title, by one of the more popular male artists of the 80s, is what Bella would tell Edward to do.


	3. Chapter 2: Beat It

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! Several of you were able to guess this chapter's title: **galaxy69uk** , **MIRosebud** , **crazy4r-k** , **OWT** , **KDMCAM** , **DICATAKADD** , **valentinesgenie** , **MissyDy** , **0 BASIA 0** , **Ninkita** and **Monroe88**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 2 – Beat It_

Twenty minutes away from my house, I find myself walking surreptitiously down the aisle of a CVS pharmacy, looking for the pregnancy tests. The number of different varieties is dizzying, but I choose one that says it can detect pregnancy up to six days before your missed period.

I pay for the test, ignoring the disapproving look from the cashier, a gray-haired man who looks like he should be enjoying retirement instead of working there.

Once I get back home, I rush up the stairs to my bathroom, locking the door even though Dad's at work for a few more hours. I sit on the toilet lid, then start reading the instructions included with the package. When I'm satisfied that I know what I'm doing, I follow the instructions to the letter.

Setting the re-capped stick on the counter, I flush the toilet and wash my hands, then sit nervously while I wait for my phone to say three minutes have passed.

I know I shouldn't think too far ahead. There's no use getting upset, no use planning out what I'll do if it's positive before I actually know the result.

Who the fuck am I kidding? What the fuck am I going to do if I'm pregnant with Mr. Cullen's baby?

For just a brief moment, I picture myself telling him I'm pregnant and him agreeing to leave his wife for me. And then I remember that I'm royally pissed off at him. He's a cheater, and that's the worst kind of scum. I don't want him anymore, even if he agrees to leave his wife.

I'm not a praying person, but when the three minutes are up, I say a brief prayer, then pick up the test stick.

There's a pink line. _Fuck._

Wait — the instructions said that's negative, right? I quickly read over the paper again, breathing a sigh of relief when I confirm that one line is definitely negative. I stare at the test again, making sure there's not even a faint trace of a second line.

Setting the test stick back on the counter, I bury my face in my hands. I'm sweating and my heart is beating a mile a minute. I hadn't even realized how nervous I was.

Wrapping the test stick in a few tissues, I toss it into the trash. The box came with two tests, so I fold the instructions as best I can and put them back in the box, then stash it in the back of the cabinet behind my tampons. Dad _never_ goes in there.

Walking back to my room, I flop onto my back on the bed, willing my heartrate to slow. It's OK, I'm not pregnant. I skipped two pills, but I'm OK. Everything's gonna be OK.

Except it's not, because I still have to face Mr. Cullen next week.

* * *

When my alarm goes off on Monday morning, I roll over and turn it off. Reluctantly, I get out of bed, knowing I can't use the "I'm not feeling well" excuse anymore. I have to go back to school sometime.

I spend my entire third period Spanish class dreading seeing Mr. Cullen again, unable to keep myself from watching the clock. When the final bell rings, I take my time putting my books away and walking out of the classroom.

When I reach the doorway to Mr. Cullen's class, I pause, taking a deep breath, before stepping into the room.

"Welcome back, Miss Swan," his velvet voice calls. I ignore him, not even looking toward his desk.

Flopping onto my chair, I make a long process of pulling out my copy of the book that we're currently reading, _Heart of Darkness_. And then I stare down at my desk, waiting for today's discussion to begin.

Once upon a time, I was active in class discussions, but instead of even listening, I spend the entire class trying not to look at Mr. Cullen's cheating face. Thankfully, he never calls on me.

This time when the bell rings, I put my things away much more quickly, just wanting to get the hell out of there.

"Miss Swan, please stick around so we can discuss what you missed."

 _Fuck._ I should've expected him to pull something like that.

I know I could just leave, but it'd look really strange to any lingering classmates if I disobeyed his request. And so I step closer to his desk, staring down at the floor.

"Look at me," he orders, and my head snaps up, despite myself. "We need to talk, Bella."

"I have nothing to say to you," I grit out through clenched teeth.

"Fine, then I just need you to listen. Let me explain. Please," he implores.

"There's really nothing to explain!" I almost yell, forgetting that I need to keep my voice down. "You have a _wife_ – that's all that matters."

Feeling tears pricking at my eyes, I rush out of the classroom. I don't want him to see me cry, and I'm pissed off that I even want to. He's not worth any more of my tears.

I dart into the girls' restroom, splashing some water on my face as I try to calm down before heading to the cafeteria. _How many more days until Winter Break?_

* * *

The next few weeks seem to drag by. Mr. Cullen doesn't try to talk to me alone again, though he does occasionally call on me in class. I'm usually an A student, but I feel like all of my grades are suffering a bit from the stress of worrying about dealing with him day in and day out.

Angela can tell that something is up with me, but I can't confide in her. I can't tell _anyone_ , unless I'm prepared for the fallout. I could get Mr. Cullen fired — and I'm almost feeling vindictive enough to want to do just that — but it'd likely ruin my reputation. Maybe I'm stupid for worrying so much about that, when I'll be graduating in five months, but I'd be setting myself up for five months of hell if the other students find out I had sex with my teacher.

On the last day before Winter Break, I'm counting down the minutes until I have two and half weeks free from having to sit in Mr. Cullen's class and pretend like I don't want to punch his pretty face. I walk into his classroom with my head down, avoiding looking at him as I make my way to my seat.

Once the late bell has rung, Mr. Cullen asks us to get out a sheet of paper. There's a collective groan from the class. He's got to be kidding! Other teachers let us have a pretty easy day for our last class before the break, and he assigns an essay?

"As we've seen, in _Crime and Punishment_ , Raskolnikov commits what could be the perfect crime. He could get away with murder, if not for his conscience and the effect of keeping the secret on his psyche. I want you to think about something immoral or illegal that you've done — and I'm sure you're all guilty of something, no matter how small. Were you caught, or did you get away with it? How does it make you feel when you think about it? Or do you never think about it?"

As he speaks, I slide down in my seat. He's giving this assignment to the entire class, but I feel like he's directing it at me, and at what we did. What is he trying to get at? Is he afraid that I'll feel guilty and tell someone?

There's no way I'm going to write about _us_. I won't give him the satisfaction. Sighing, I pick up my pen and begin to write.

Over the next hour, Mr. Cullen periodically calls out the time left. I finish just after he gives a five-minute warning, then sit back in my chair, rolling my neck. I inadvertently look in Mr. Cullen's direction as he leans casually against the front of his desk, my eyes widening when I notice he's wearing the blue pants.

Without my permission, my eyes drift downward. He may be an asshole, but he still fills out a pair of pants. I can't help remembering how that big dick made me feel.

Fuck! What am I doing? I quickly snap my eyes back up, nearly jumping in my seat when I see Mr. Cullen watching me. He totally caught me ogling his crotch, as confirmed by his little smirk.

When the bell rings, we're instructed to leave our essays on the corner of our teacher's desk. I drop mine off and head for the doorway before I stop, lingering until the last of my classmates has left.

Mr. Cullen raises an eyebrow, a tiny smirk still on his lips.

"What the hell was that assignment about?" I ask angrily. "Are you afraid I'm gonna tell someone and cost you this job you don't even want?"

"Maybe it wasn't about _your_ feelings at all, Ms. Swan."

I start to reply, then close my mouth. Is he trying to say that he feels guilty over what happened between us?

"Look, Bella," he sighs, "I really just wish you'd give me the chance to explain."

"There's nothing to explain!" I whisper-yell. "For whatever reason, you kept your marriage a secret. You never talked about your wife, never brought her to any school functions, and you never wear a fucking wedding ring."

"I can't!" he says indignantly, holding up his left hand. I stare at his fingers, unable to figure out what he's trying to tell me.

"When I was a kid, I broke my finger and it never healed right. The knuckle is much larger than normal," he explains. "I _have_ a wedding ring, but I took it off within the first month because it annoyed me so much. Any ring large enough to slip over my knuckle is too big for my finger."

Bringing his left hand down, he runs his other hand through his hair, sighing again. "I know you're angry, but… if you'd just let me explain, maybe you'll see things differently."

He sounds almost contrite, and for just a moment I wonder about giving him this chance he wants. Maybe… maybe there _is_ an explanation, something that won't make me feel quite so used.

And then I want to kick myself for even considering giving in to him.

"No," I reply, turning and storming out of the classroom before I can change my mind.

* * *

My parents divorced when I was two years old. My mom, Renee, was awarded custody, as usually happens. She lived a nomadic lifestyle, to say the least. It was fun and exciting until I was old enough to go to school. When I spent Christmas with my dad in third grade and he found out that I'd already attended seven different schools, he immediately threatened to sue her for custody.

Since coming to live with my dad, I've usually just visited Renee for a couple of weeks over the summer, and sometimes for Thanksgiving or Christmas. After dating what seemed like dozens of guys in 15 years, she finally got remarried about a year ago.

My new stepfather, Phil, is the CFO of a large financial services company in St. Louis. What exactly he sees in my flighty mother, I have no idea, but to each his own.

This year Mom and Phil have invited me to spend Christmas with them. I leave on the Monday after our Winter Break starts, flying to St. Louis since no one seems to trust an 18-year-old to drive six hours on a busy interstate.

To say I'm impressed with Phil's large newish home in a western St. Louis suburb would be an understatement. It's gorgeous, with soaring ceilings, and seems to have been professionally decorated.

I've been in St. Louis for four days when Renee gets the bright idea that she and I should bake Christmas cookies together. I've _never_ known my mother to bake.

"What's going on with you, Isabella?" she asks as we scoop the dough onto Silpat-lined cookie sheets.

"What do you mean?"

"You seem… not my happy, outgoing little girl."

"I'm an adult now," I reply, rolling my eyes. I've hardly spent any time with her in the last 10 years, so she doesn't really know me.

Mom sticks the full pan in the oven, setting the timer, then turns to me. "It just seems like you have a lot on your mind. Is it… boy troubles?"

Much as I try not to think of Mr. Cullen, I can't help it, and I can feel my cheeks darkening.

I nod in response. "There was this guy, and… he turned out not to be the guy I thought he was," I reply vaguely.

"Oh honey, we all have to kiss a few frogs before we find our prince."

"Yeah, but what sucks is that I have to see him almost every day," I whine. It's first-world problems, I know.

"He goes to your school?" she smiles sympathetically, and I nod since I can't tell her the whole truth.

"It's only one class, but it's almost all I can think about — having to face him every day, hoping he doesn't try to talk to me," I complain. "I know that's entirely my issue, but I don't know how to just move on when I have to deal with him all the time. It's even starting to affect my grades!"

Mom leans against the counter, hand on her hip. "If you really want to get away from him, you can move in with Phil and me and finish up your senior year here."

My eyes widen. "Leave Chicago?"

"You were planning to leave Chicago next August anyway, right? I'm sure Phil wouldn't mind. In fact, he's been asking if you've looked at any of the local universities."

"I—"

"The school district we're in is rated one of the best in the state. It'd better be, for as much as we pay in property taxes," she adds with a grimace.

"But I'd have to leave all of my friends, most of whom I've known since third grade," I reply quietly. Other than that aspect — and worrying about how Dad will take it — her idea has some merit.

"You'll leave them anyway after graduation, won't you?" she asks, and I know she's right. It'd just be a few months sooner than planned. She pats my shoulder, reaching for a potholder when the oven timer beeps. "You certainly don't have to decide now, but give it some thought, all right?"

* * *

 **A/N** : Most of you should be happy that Bella was just a panicky teenager and not actually pregnant! She's sticking to her guns and refusing to listen to Mr. Cullen, but can she hang on for five more months? Or should she accept her mother's offer to finish out the school year in St. Louis?

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: The next chapter title from a punk band describes Bella's dilemma!


	4. Chapter 3: Should I Stay or Should I Go

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! FF was acting up with not showing reviews online for a couple days and then not sending email alerts, so apologies if I missed you when doing review replies.

I think we've set a record for the most readers to guess the chapter title! Congrats to: **monica03** , **roguech** , **NKubie** , **raidershell** , **Faerywren** , **sherylb** , **printmaker** , **Monroe88** , **morena. davidson. 3** , **myownlittleinfinity** , **Midnight Cougar** , **KDMCAM** , **Judyblue95** , **MsAndreaRenee** , **galaxy69uk** , **suzy 2010** , **alison actually** , **0 BASIA 0** , **MIRosebud** , **orion03981** , **Luvntwilight** , **alainaroullier** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **lovedwardalways** , **2muchtrouble** , **MissyDy** , **Bevey99** , **Ninkita** , **Debbliss** , **LaPumuckl** , and **Bikergirl08**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 3 – Should I Stay or Should I Go_

By the time I fly back to Chicago on the day after Christmas, I still haven't made a decision about moving in with my mom and stepdad. While I like the idea of getting away from Mr. Cullen permanently, it feels sort of like running away. Like he's making me leave the home I've had for the last 10 years.

And my dad… his life is pretty much his work and being my father. He dated some when I was younger, but he started to get cold feet when the woman he thought was "the one" balked at his chosen profession, due to the perceived danger.

Angela, Jessica, Lauren, Mike, Tyler… I've known almost all of them since I started attending the local elementary school in third grade. The thought of leaving and not graduating with them seems so strange, though I know we'll likely go our separate ways after graduation anyway. Tyler plans to join the military, Angela is attending Northwestern, Mike and Jessica will move to Champaign to attend the main U of I campus… Lauren is still undecided, like me. I applied to all of the public schools in Illinois, as well as one in St. Louis — at Renee's urging — which I could also attend at resident student rates.

It's a tough decision, but I'm leaning toward staying. It's only five months… says the girl who could hardly make it three weeks.

* * *

The following day, Angela and I take the 'L' to Michigan Avenue to spend our Christmas money. Despite the cold, we walk north along the Magnificent Mile, stopping in at any shops that catch our attention. We finish our day with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

"Do you want to split a meal?" Angela suggests, looking over the huge menu. "That way we'll have room for cheesecake."

"Sure," I shrug. After much bickering back and forth, we finally settle on a chicken and pasta dish that fills the entire large plate. It's more than enough for two.

When we've finished our meal, we each order our own slice of cheesecake. I like to try a new kind every time, while Angela is partial to the carrot cake cheesecake mash-up.

"Oh! There's Mr. Cullen," she says, nodding her head toward something behind me. I instinctively turn around, easily spotting his unusual hair color. And his _wife_ is seated next to him.

"It looks like some kind of party," I note. The large group must have at least four tables pushed together.

"Some sort of work Christmas party?" Angela suggests.

I turn around in my seat to face her. "I don't recognize any of the others as teachers at our school."

"Well, no," she agrees, "but it could be his wife's coworkers. Or maybe family."

I turn to look again, and this time he looks up just as I do, our eyes locking. He looks almost sad, or at least like he isn't thrilled to be where he is.

"He sees us!" Angela exclaims, and I just catch the end of her wave as I turn back around.

Moments later, our server delivers our cheesecakes. I eagerly pick up my fork, then stare down at my slice. As beautiful as it looks, seeing Mr. Cullen with his wife has ruined my appetite.

"What's wrong?" Angela asks as I twirl the fork in my hand.

"I think I should've ordered mine to go. I'm stuffed."

"Suit yourself," she shrugs, cutting off the end of her piece.

As I sit there watching my best friend eat her cheesecake, I know what I have to do if I ever again want to have peace of mind: I have to leave Chicago.

* * *

"Did you have any luck shopping?" Dad asks when I arrive home.

"Yeah, I found a lot of cool stuff on sale." I try to smile, because I _did_ enjoy my shopping trip with Angela. "Um, c-can I talk to you about something?"

"Always," he smiles. I smile back, taking a seat on the couch near Dad's recliner.

"Um, so… this has nothing to do with you, I hope you know that." His brow furrows. "I-I'd like to finish out the schoolyear in St. Louis, living with Mom and Phil."

"Why on earth would you want to do that?!" Dad asks in confusion.

"It's… there's this guy," I begin.

"You met someone when you were visiting last week?"

"No, no… there's a guy _here_. We, um, dated briefly but then broke up." It's close enough to the truth.

"I didn't know you were dating anyone," he says, stroking his mustache. "I thought you went to the homecoming dance with Angela."

"I did," I nod. "It was, um, after that, and very brief. Maybe it's because he was my first boyfriend, but I'm having a tough time moving past it. It doesn't help that I have to see him at school every day."

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Dad asks, looking a little scary.

"No, no, not physically. But… he lied about something important."

"Does this have something to do with you being sick before Thanksgiving?" Damn, can't get anything past a cop.

I nod. "And I feel like my grades are suffering. I can't afford to let my GPA drop if I want to earn a good scholarship."

Dad frowns. "Moving away though… that seems kind of drastic. Maybe you can just change classes?"

"I can't," I smile sadly. "Already thought of that."

"Your mom's husband is on board? Did you make this decision when you visited them?"

"Mom actually suggested it when I told her about him, but I didn't make the decision until tonight. She said Phil is fine with it. His house is huge, so there's plenty of room for me. I-I'm sorry, Dad. I know I was going to leave you next August anyway, so this is just sooner than planned, but… you're the reason I struggled with making a decision. I don't want to hurt you, but I feel like this is the best decision for me."

"You can always come back and visit next summer, right?" he asks hopefully.

"Sure I can," I smile, standing up to hug him.

* * *

With telling Dad out of the way, the only hurdle left is breaking it to my friends. Mike is having a big New Year's Eve party at his house, since his parents are out of town, giving me a good opportunity to tell all of them at once.

The only thing is, I can't even tell them the watered-down version of the truth that my parents got — they know perfectly well there's no fellow classmate whom I dated.

I'm going to have to lie to them. And while I hate to do that, I don't have much of a choice.

I wait until everyone has arrived before standing up and turning the music down. I'm met with a handful of confused looks and groans.

"Sorry," I apologize, "but I need to tell you guys something. Um, I'll be transferring schools next semester."

"What? Why?" Angela asks. "Where are you going?"

"I'm moving in with my mom and her new husband. They live in a suburb of St. Louis," I explain. "As to why, well… you guys know my dad was promoted to Detective last year, right?" I pause for a moment before continuing with my carefully planned lie. "He's recently gotten a great opportunity to work on an important case, but he'll have to be undercover for several months. It's too dangerous for me to be here."

"So your dad just decided to send you to live with your mom?" Jessica asks.

"No, he talked to me about the opportunity this week, and I told him to go for it. I don't want to hold him back from advancing in his career."

"But to go to a new school _now_?" Tyler asks, frowning.

"I know it's not ideal, and I'm really going to miss spending these last five months with you guys, but my dad has sacrificed a lot to raise me over the last 10 years. I kind of owe him, you know?"

"Well, then," Mike says, clapping his hands as he stands up. "Let's make this the best going-away party ever!" He comes up to hug me, and then all of my friends do the same. Tears prick at my eyes as I squeeze Angela tightly. As much as I'll miss them, I know this is for the best.

* * *

By January 3rd, I'm all packed and ready to go. Dad and I stop by the high school first thing in the morning to let them know I'll be leaving and get a copy of my transcript to give to my new high school. It's as painless as I had hoped.

Once we're done at the school, Dad takes me out to breakfast at my favorite place. I can see him trying to be a tough guy and not cry, and it makes me sad that I'm doing this to him. I remind myself that I'd most likely be leaving anyway to go to college in the Fall; it's just a few months earlier than we'd expected.

It took a lot of convincing, but Dad finally agreed that I can drive myself to St. Louis, since I've got too many boxes and suitcases to fly with. He bought a used small SUV off one of his coworkers for me two years ago. It's not the newest or the flashiest vehicle, but it's dependable, and has plenty of storage room in the back.

We load up my car after breakfast, then Dad hugs me tightly, insisting on regular texts from the road so he's sure I haven't gotten lost or in an accident. I remind him once again that I'll be on I-55 for five hours until I reach downtown St. Louis — how could I possibly get lost? I'll turn on the Maps app on my phone once I get closer, letting it guide me the rest of the way to Phil's house.

With a stop for a fast food lunch near Springfield, it's just before 5pm when I pull into Phil's driveway. He's got a three-car garage, though I don't have the opener with me. I'm excited to be able to park in a garage at night for the first time.

I'm barely out of the car when Mom rushes outside to hug me. "I'm so glad you're here!" she says excitedly. "Come on inside; Phil can get your things out of the car. He should be home from work soon."

I follow Mom inside the front door, hanging up my coat in the closet. Flopping onto the couch, I pull out my phone to text Dad and let him know I've arrived.

But when I turn on the phone, I see a text from Angela. **Mr. Cullen was shocked when I told him you weren't going to Lincoln Park anymore.**

 _One less student for him to abuse_ , I text back before sending that text to my dad.

 **He seemed really concerned. I told him I'd just seen you on NYE and you were fine.**

 _I am fine. Just got to Mom and Phil's house._

When Phil arrives home from work, he does indeed bring in all of my things and carry them upstairs to my room, once he's pulled my SUV into the garage. I'm excited when he shows me the garage door opener that he's attached to the visor. It'll be so nice to not have to scrape snow and ice off my windshield before driving to school in the morning.

"How was the drive down?" Phil asks as we eat dinner. "Any problems?"

"No, there weren't that many cars on the road," I reply. I almost made a wrong turn, but I'm not going to tell them that! I-55 merges with another interstate near Peoria and I really had to pay attention to stay on the right highway once they split up again.

"I've made an appointment with the high school tomorrow morning to get you registered, Isabella. Do you have a copy of your transcripts?" Mom asks, and I nod in response. "Good. I downloaded and filled out all of the forms today. My gosh, there are a lot of forms compared to when you were in grade school! Oh, I hope you brought your birth certificate also."

"Yeah, Dad gave me his copy of that. He had it handy from when I got my driver's permit."

"Hopefully since you're 18, they won't give us any trouble for not having any kind of formal papers granting me custody," she says, sipping her drink. I hadn't even thought of anything like that.

Later that night I'm relaxing in my room when Mom knocks on the door, then peeks her head in. "I thought we could go shopping this weekend if you want to pick out new bedding for your room."

I glance around at what had been just a guest bedroom. It's beautiful, in shades of cream, tan and gray, though it feels like something a decorator picked out and not _mine_. "That sounds great," I agree. "It could definitely use a splash of color."

"Our registration appointment is at 8:30 tomorrow morning, so try to get some sleep," she smiles, closing the door.

* * *

My alarm goes off far too early in the morning. I shower then start to doubt the outfit I picked out last night. I only get one chance to make a good impression on my new classmates. I put on the skinny jeans that I picked out, then stand in front of my closet for five minutes until I've chosen the perfect sweater that I hope both looks attractive on me and shows my personality.

Downstairs, I'm spreading jam on a piece of toast when Renee walks in, starting up the super-fancy coffeemaker.

She wraps one arm around me, hugging me tightly. "I'm so excited!" she squeals. "It's so great to have my baby back with me. I know I wasn't the best mom to you the first time around, but I promise to do better this time. Do you want some coffee?"

I wrinkle my nose. "I don't drink coffee."

"That's probably because your father drinks shitty coffee," she mutters, making me laugh. He does drink the stuff black. It looks like motor oil.

Once we've gathered up all of the required registration information — we hope — Mom and I set out for Lafayette High School in her Toyota. She parks in a visitor lot and we head inside to the office.

Our appointment goes surprisingly smoothly, and soon it's time to meet with a guidance counselor to choose my schedule. I'm happy to see that I'm able to sign up for the same AP classes I was taking in Chicago — plus more if I want to.

By the time we've completed my registration, second period classes are well underway. Mom says goodbye with a hug, promising to come pick me up after school. She paid for a semester of parking, and I've got a new parking tag so I can drive myself from here on out.

After handing me a printed copy of my schedule and a map of the school, the guidance counselor leads me to my second-period AP Calculus class. She knocks briefly on the closed door then opens it and ushers me inside.

* * *

 **A/N** : So after running into Mr. Cullen and his wife around town, Bella has made the decision to leave Chicago for the remainder of the schoolyear. Her dad bought the same story that her mother did, while she had to make up a lie for her friends. Any guesses on who Bella will meet in St. Louis? And how long until she crosses paths with Mr. Cullen again?

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: The next chapter title comes from one of the earlier #1 hits of the 1980s!

* * *

Round 1 voting is now open in the TwiFic Fandom Awards through February 17th! You can vote every day for up to three nominees per category. I have a total of 13 nominations in 7 categories. Please vote if you're so inclined! I'll post a real link on FictionPad since FF makes this difficult:

twificfandomawards. blogspot. c-o-m /p/vote. html


	5. Chapter 4: (Just Like) Starting Over

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! **FF has been wonky with alerts since last weekend, so if you didn't see Monday's chapter, please go read and review now!** I replied to all reviews last chapter, but you may have to go into your Inbox directly to see the replies.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from John Lennon go to: **galaxy69uk** , **MissyDy** , **NKubie** , **Ninkita** , **0 BASIA 0** , **Midnight Cougar** , **OWT** , **raidershell** , **HunterBrooke** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **That'sMzPeachesTYVM** , **alison actually** , and **Bikergirl08**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 4 – (Just Like) Starting Over_

My new AP Calculus teacher, a man who appears to be in his 50s, walks over to us, and the guidance counselor explains the situation to him. Once she's left, he motions for me to walk toward his desk.

"Class, this is Isabella Swan, a new transfer student."

"Just Bella," I say softly.

"All right, just Bella, why don't you tell us about yourself?" he smiles.

"Um, well, I've been living in Chicago with my dad for several years, but I'm now living here with my mom and stepdad. And, um, English is my favorite subject — sorry," I grin, turning toward him.

"Let's see if I can change your mind about that," he says, handing me a textbook and pointing me toward an empty chair in the back of the room.

Once class is over, I put my book away in my bag. I've barely stood up when a petite girl I noticed earlier sitting in the front row appears in front of my desk. Her hair is an even darker shade of brown than mine, but the short pixie-style cut is streaked with bright pink.

"Hi!" she greets me, smiling widely. "I'm Alice Brandon. What's your next class?"

"Ummm…" I glance down at my schedule. "AP Physics."

"Mine too," she smiles. "Come on, I'll walk with you."

"That'd be great," I nod, following her into the hallway.

"What high school did you attend in Chicago?"

"Lincoln Park," I answer, trying to pay attention to where she's taking me.

"Oh! Like the band," she grins.

"Yep," I laugh.

"What do you have after Physics?" Alice asks, trying to glance at the schedule in my hand.

"Spanish, then lunch."

"Oh," she frowns. "I take French. All of the language classes are in the same wing though. I'll be able to take you to your class and just meet you outside afterward. I'm hard to miss," she laughs.

Entering the Physics classroom, Alice introduces me to the teacher. Luckily, this one just lets me sit down with my new textbook before pointing me out to my classmates once the bell has rung. No mortifying introduction this time.

Alice is indeed waiting for me in the language wing after Spanish. I dutifully follow along with her to the cafeteria and then to her usual table once we've got our meals.

"Guys, this is Bella," Alice introduces me. "She just moved here from Chicago."

"That's Jake," she nods toward the very tall black-haired guy seated across from us, "Embry and Emily, Paul, Collin and Brady. Jake and I have been best friends since kindergarten," she smiles.

"It's nice to meet all of you," I smile. "Maybe this is a stupid question," I turn to Jake, "but do you play basketball?"

"I do," he laughs. "Starting guard on the school team. And before you ask, I'm six-seven," he winks.

"I'm a cheerleader for the basketball team," Alice smiles. Of course she is, with her peppy attitude.

"She's also Senior Class President," Brady adds, smiling at me.

"So what brings you to St. Louis?" Emily asks.

"Oh, um, I'd been living with my dad, and now I'm living with my mom and stepdad. My dad's a cop, a detective, and he's taking on a dangerous undercover case, so for my safety, I had to move here." I give them the same lie as my friends back home.

"Oh wow," Alice frowns. "That sucks, having to leave your school and all of your friends in Chicago."

"Yeah, but I didn't want to hold him back, you know? I've lived with him for almost 10 years, because my mom moved around a lot. But she's settled down now and married a really good guy."

Alice and I share two of our last three classes. By the end of the day, we're exchanging cell numbers, and she is promising that we'll be "great friends."

"Do you need a ride home, or did you drive here today?" she asks.

"Oh, my mom is picking me up. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Sure thing," she smiles, walking off toward the student parking lot.

It doesn't take me long to find Mom's car. I open the door, sitting heavily in the passenger seat.

"How did it go?" she asks with a smile.

"It's a bit overwhelming," I sigh, "but I think I've made some new friends." And there are no super-sexy attractive teachers, thank god.

"Oh, I'm so glad! I knew you would."

I smile, nodding. I think this decision is going to turn out OK.

* * *

Alice and I become fast friends, frequently hanging out together after school or on weekends. I still miss my friends back home, but she's great. Despite her outgoing, bubbly personality, it doesn't take long to realize she's a serious student who plans to go into politics and make a difference in the world.

Alice's father is a doctor, while her mom leads a large area charity, so it's easy to see where she gets both her ambition and her money. Alice wears designer clothes, drives a flashy bright yellow Porsche, and lives in a house that puts Phil's to shame. They even have a private chef to prepare their meals. My mom — bless her — isn't the greatest cook, so I'm always happy when Alice invites me to stay for dinner.

We're up in Alice's bedroom one day after school while she's browsing the internet on her laptop looking for prom dresses. "What do you think about this one?" she asks, turning the screen so I can see.

"It matches your hair," I laugh. "Isn't prom still like three months away?"

"You can never plan early enough," she states seriously.

"Are you going with anyone?" Alice hasn't mentioned a boyfriend in the month I've known her.

"Probably with Jake, but just as friends," she replies, turning back to the screen.

"Why aren't you and Jake a thing?" I ask curiously. When he doesn't have practice, he hangs out with us, and they seem really close.

Alice sets her laptop down, turning to face me. "Can you keep a secret?" she asks.

"Sure I can," I nod. More than she'll ever know.

"Jake is gay."

"Oh! I had no idea."

"He's pretty good at passing as straight," she smiles. "Comes from being a huge jock, I guess. He's not out to anyone except me and his two older sisters."

"Not his dad?" I know that Jake's mom died of cancer several years ago.

"No," she sighs. "Jake's dad is kind of old-fashioned. Jake doesn't expect him to take it well."

"That's sad," I frown. "I can't imagine a parent not accepting their child for who he is."

"Yeah… Anyway," she shakes her head, "Jake is thinking of coming out of the closet once we start college."

"We?" I question. "Are you going to the same school?"

"Yep, we're both going to UMSL. It's up in North County, so we might get an apartment together closer to campus."

"I'm surprised you're going to a public school," I remark, before I realize how bad that sounds. "I-I mean—"

"I know what you mean," she smiles. "My dad set aside money for me, but it's all in one big pot. It's up to me to decide how to spend it — college, a wedding, or a down payment on my first house. I could go to an expensive private school like Washington University with the money, but that would use up most of it. I chose to go to a cheaper school," she shrugs. "And besides… Jake couldn't afford Wash U."

I nod in understanding. Jake mentioned once that his mother's illness had ruined the family financially. His dad ended up losing their home, but he was able to buy a small two-bedroom condo that's still within the school district's borders, allowing Jake to remain in school.

"Have you chosen your college yet?" Alice asks.

"No. I applied to UMSL and pretty much all of the public schools in Illinois. I've been accepted at all of them, which doesn't help with making a final decision. My friends from Chicago are going to be scattered around the state."

"You should totally come to UMSL with us!" she says, bouncing on her bed. "What are you planning to study?"

"Something related to English… maybe Communications — I'm not sure. That also doesn't help with choosing a school," I shrug.

"Pretty much any of those schools would have a ton of possible majors, yeah," she agrees. "Just promise to think about UMSL, Ok? Maybe you and I can do a campus tour together one day."

"All right," I acquiesce. Alice's enthusiasm is contagious. She's so different from quiet, studious Angela, but I really like her. I feel like I'm coming out of my shell somewhat from hanging around Alice; she's good for me.

* * *

Our Spring Break is a week in the middle of March. I'd planned to go back to Chicago to visit, but then Alice invites Jake and me to join her in Florida.

We're able to get a non-stop flight to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. From there it's just a short taxi ride to our hotel in Panama City Beach — literally right on the Gulf of Mexico.

"This is amazing," I gush, looking out of our windows at the white sand and blue water. It's not nearly as warm here as it would be further south, but it's the first time I've ever been to a real beach.

The three of us spend the week walking along the beach, shopping at Pier Park, and checking out the various activities like mini-golf and go-karts.

We're people watching from a beachfront tiki bar one day when Jake, who's aware that I know he's gay, admires a man helping his young son build a sandcastle on the beach.

"Mmmm-mmmm, that is one hot DILF," he says, practically drooling.

"Given that Mom is right there sunbathing, I don't think he's your type," I laugh.

"No harm in looking," he shrugs. "Don't you think he's hot?"

"Nice muscles," I agree, admiring his physique. His bathing suit leaves little to the imagination, but his dick isn't half as impressive as Mr. Cullen's. I frown at the sudden and unwanted memory. I haven't seen the man in almost three months, but he's still invading my thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Alice asks.

"Nothing."

" _Some_ thing. You know, I don't think I've ever heard you talk about the guys in our school. Hasn't anyone caught your eye?" she asks.

"I don't hear you talking about them either," I counter.

"That's because high school boys are children. No offense, Jake," she smiles serenely, glancing his way. "And I asked you first." She sticks her tongue out at me.

"I just… don't see the point, you know? It would just be a temporary thing before we all go off to different colleges. But no, no one in particular has really caught my eye."

"So what kind of guy do you like?" Jake asks. "Did you have a boyfriend back in Chicago?"

The question brings me up short. I don't really know my _type_ , because I generally agree with Alice about the maturity level of high school boys. Even though I've had good guy friends, I've never wanted to date any of them.

"That wasn't meant to be a hard question," he laughs.

"No, I've never had a boyfriend," I reply quietly, taking a sip of my virgin daiquiri. Alice and Jake have been wonderful friends to me since I moved to St. Louis, and I actually _want_ to tell them what I can of the truth. "There was this guy though… an older man."

"How much older are we talking?" Jake asks eagerly.

"Maybe 27 or 28, I'm not sure. He's a few years out of grad school."

"Nice," Alice whistles. "So, what, you had a fling with this guy but he wasn't a boyfriend?"

"We had a brief relationship, but apparently it meant a lot more to me than it did to him."

"Why do you say that?" she asks, frowning.

"Because he was married," I spit out. "A little detail he'd conveniently left out."

"Ouch!" Jake yells.

"Bastard," Alice comments. "I can see why that might have soured you on guys in general."

"Or at least those who are too pretty for their own good," I grumble.

"So he was hot?" Jake asks. "What did he look like? I mean, I'd totally mess up his pretty face if I get the chance, but, you know…"

"He was hot," I admit with a small smile. "The most beautiful shade of green eyes I've ever seen."

"That's it?" Jake asks, sounding disappointed. "Just green eyes?"

"Well," I begin, a twinkle in my eye, "he'd fill out a Speedo a lot better than your muscle man on the beach."

"Now we're talking!" he yells, slapping his hand on his thigh. "So your type is a guy with a large… endowment."

I can feel my face flaming. "I don't know if that's my type, but it was pretty hard to miss, and definitely got my attention. He always came across as a bit of a jerk, but I thought… I thought with those looks, surely he wasn't really that bad. It couldn't be possible."

"How did you find out he was married?" Alice asks, looking enraptured with my story.

"My friends and I accidentally ran into him and his wife."

"Oooh," she shudders. "What excuse did he have for lying to you?"

"I don't know," I shrug. "I refused to let him explain. All I got out of him was some story about not wearing a wedding ring because he'd broken his finger when he was a kid. He said he'd never hidden the fact that he was married. But if he thought I knew, then what does that say about what he thought of me?"

"Seriously?" she exclaims. "He thought you knew and didn't care? Ugh. I'm with Jake, I'd punch this guy if he ever shows up around here."

"Let's get back to his physical attributes," Jake grins, making me roll my eyes. "Naw, I'm serious, did you see his love stick in person, or just trying to bust its way out of his pants?" he giggles.

"I… saw it once," I confess. "And it was even more impressive than I'd anticipated. I could barely get my hand around it. But none of that matters — because he's married."

Jake finally sobers. "Sorry… this guy obviously hurt you, and I don't like people who hurt my friends."

"Me either," Alice declares. "Group hug!" Jake reaches out his long arms, ensnaring each of us, and I think once again how lucky I am to have found them.

* * *

 **A/N** : So Bella's off to a great start in her new high school. She's made two really good friends — what do you think of them? Alice and Jake will be around for the remainder of the story. It's a bit more difficult for her to get Mr. Cullen out of her head though!

Next update on **Monday**. I really hope FF has fixed its shit by then.

For a teaser: A big hit by an Australian band. Sorry this one is a tougher to guess without the context of what happens in the next chapter.

* * *

Round 1 voting is open in the TwiFic Fandom Awards through February 17th! You can vote every day for up to three nominees per category. I have a total of 13 nominations in 7 categories. Please vote if you're so inclined! I'll post a real link on FictionPad since FF makes this difficult:

twificfandomawards. blogspot. c-o-m /p/vote. html


	6. Chapter 5: Who Can It Be Now?

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! **I updated twice last week, but FF has been wonky with alerts, so if you didn't see both chapters, please go read and review now!** I replied to all reviews last chapter, but you may have to go into your Inbox directly to see the replies.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Men at Work go to: **Angellovee** , **garddita17** , **raidershell** , **LunaEclipse17** , **AbruptlyChagrined** , **2old4fanfic** , **0 BASIA 0** , **sherylb** , **OWT** , **Azlady2003** , and **MissyDy**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 5 – Who Can It Be Now?_

"Tell me again why I need to buy a new dress for prom when I have a perfectly good homecoming dress that no one at school has seen?" I grumble as Alice leads me into the Camille La Vie store at the nearest mall. The place is huge, full of rack after rack of formal or semi-formal dresses.

"Your dress is navy blue," she retorts. "That's a Fall color. It's Spring."

I roll my eyes, dutifully following her to the nearest rack. Despite spending the last two months looking online for dresses, Alice hasn't found one yet, so we're looking for both of us.

"This one would be pretty with your skin tone," Alice says, holding up a long, jade green dress with a beaded top.

"It looks like it would fit a girl who's 6-foot-3," I complain. Seriously, it would be impossible for me to find heels high enough that I wouldn't be tripping over the bottom of it. It also very much reminds me of the color of Mr. Cullen's eyes, and that just won't do.

"Fine. Maybe we should look over here," Alice says, pointing toward a rack full of nude-colored dresses. "Blush or champagne dresses are really in this year."

"How do you know that?" I ask, following Alice to the rack in question.

She turns around, mouth gaping as she stares at me. "Don't you watch the Oscars red carpet? Light neutrals were the popular colors this year. I should've invited you to come over and watch me with me; Oscar night is one of my favorite nights of the year."

I laugh. "For a girl who wants to be known for her brains and talent, you sure are into fashion."

"Clothes say a lot about a person," Alice replies seriously. "A woman who's well-dressed will always earn more respect that one who dresses like a slob. Didn't you ever watch _What Not to Wear_? God, that was my favorite show." She sighs dreamily, making me laugh again.

Two hours later, after trying on nearly two dozen dresses, Alice has finally chosen a gold dress with hundreds of sequins on the top, an open back, and a flowing skirt. It's beautiful and looks great on her figure, though at $450, it's about $250 more than I'd ever spend on a dress to wear just once. She swears she can wear it again though, as the whole family attends formal fundraising dinners for her mom's charity.

There's no way I'd buy most of the dresses in the store; I'm sticking to my guns about a $200 maximum price. Just when I'm about to give up, Alice finds a dress with a high-neck black top and a long champagne tulle skirt that makes it "on trend." The back is open enough that I wouldn't be able to wear a bra, but otherwise it doesn't show too much skin. And it's only $170. I agree to buy it only so that I don't have to deal with being dragged to even more stores.

"This is gonna be so great," Alice squeals as we walk out of the store, dresses draped over our arms. "You only go to one senior prom."

"That's what Angela said when she dragged me to homecoming," I laugh.

"Didn't you have a good time?" she asks, holding the door for me.

"I did," I admit, remembering how I'd gotten to know Mr. Cullen better that night. Or at least I'd thought I had.

* * *

On May 22, the day every child longs for — their high school graduation — finally comes.

Our graduation ceremony begins at 7pm, so we've made reservations for an early dinner at Maggiano's for family-style Italian with Alice's and Jake's families. Dad has driven down from Chicago for the occasion, and I hug him tightly when he arrives at the restaurant.

"I'm so proud of you," he says, looking like he might cry.

"Thanks, Dad," I smile, hugging him again.

I'm pleased when Dad and Phil shake hands. There's really no animosity between my parents anymore. I know Dad was upset when Mom was given custody 16 years ago, but he understood that fathers don't have much of a chance unless they can prove neglect or abuse.

I happily introduce Dad to my two best friends once we're seated. "So you're the reason my daughter will only be spending six weeks with me this summer, huh?" he says, looking at Alice.

I laugh at her deer-in-headlights expression. "He's just teasing you," I assure her.

Alice has signed the two of us up to spend all of June working with two Habitat for Humanity youth programs. We'll drive out to Colorado for the first two weeks, helping build homes in a valley in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains that experienced a devastating flood in 2013. Then we'll travel to Taos, New Mexico, a tourist town where 90% of the locals can't afford a home.

I don't know the slightest thing about building homes, but Alice shamed me into it by pointing out that 90-year-old Jimmy Carter still volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. She also participated last summer and assures me that I'll both learn a lot and have fun.

"It's a great opportunity, Mr. Swan," she replies. "Not only are we helping people in need, but it'll look good on our resumes one day."

"Alice plans to go into politics," I explain to my dad. "Look for her to be running for president in about 25 years," I laugh.

Alice narrows her eyes. "You laugh now, but you won't be laughing when I name you as my Press Secretary."

"Oh, right," I can't help chuckling again.

After much begging from Alice, I've agreed to attend the University of Missouri—St. Louis with her and Jake. I'll be majoring in Communications, with an English minor. It seemed slightly more practical than a pure English major. And being employable after college is what it's all about, of course. Unless I meet an independently wealthy Prince Charming at UMSL and become a stay-at-home wife where I can read all day.

After the graduation ceremony at the Chaifetz Arena, I take my dad to a St. Louis tradition, Ted Drewes, for frozen custard. It's not quite their busy season yet, but the weather is nice and the parking lot is full, even at 9:30 at night.

I laugh at Dad's expression when he's handed his "concrete" — frozen custard so thick, the workers can turn it upside down and it won't drip out of the cup.

"You seem happy," he says between bites. "I've gotta admit, I thought you'd miss your friends from Chicago."

"I _do_ miss them," I stress, "but Alice and Jake are great."

"And they're going to the same school, you said?"

"Yeah," I nod. "Alice will be majoring in Political Science, and Jake is studying Accounting. He got a scholarship to play basketball. He's good, but not good enough for one of the bigger schools."

"Are you planning to stay with your mom and Phil?" Dad asks.

"The three of us would like to get an apartment together that's closer to campus. Mom isn't really on board yet, but I think if this summer goes well, she'll be convinced," I smile. "It took me forever to make up my mind on where to go and what to study, but UMSL's Communications program is ranked fifth in the country."

"Well, it looks like I made the right decision to let you come here."

I nod. "And I made the right decision in accepting Mom's offer. These last five months have been really good for me, Dad. I've grown a lot. In a way, it was just like going off to college early, but I've met some great new people. Alice's family is so wealthy that she could really do anything she wants, but instead of being some debutante, she wants to make a real difference in the world. I think… she's rubbing off on me, in a good way."

"You girls will be careful out there in — where is it, Colorado?"

"Colorado and then New Mexico," I answer. "And of course we will! Last year, Alice went to Jackson, Wyoming, though her parents insisted on coming with her and vacationing nearby, just in case she got into trouble. As much as I complained to her that I don't know anything about building homes, I think it's a great opportunity."

"And you're still coming to visit after the Fourth of July?" he asks, tossing his empty cup into the trash.

"You bet."

* * *

By the time I drive back to Chicago for a long visit with Dad, I'm feeling so enriched from my experience working with Habitat for Humanity. Alice is already talking about doing it again next summer, potentially traveling to South America or Asia on a project. I'm more interested in one of the youth program options in Hawaii.

Of course one of the first things I do when I get back to Chicago is call Angela. We text often and I even FaceTimed her from Colorado. I'd love it if she could go along with Alice and me next year, regardless of where we end up going.

"Oh my God, you've got a tan," she jokes, hugging me tightly as we meet at a café for lunch. It's so good to see Ang again.

"You should've seen it a week ago when I got back to St. Louis," I giggle. "That's what happens when you spend four weeks working outside in the hot sun, even with the bottle of sunscreen I went through each week."

"I still can't believe your dad was cool with you doing that."

"I'm an adult; he doesn't get a say," I shrug. "But really he just told me to be careful."

"You know, we really missed you at graduation. Well, all semester, actually, but especially then. It just felt wrong for you to not be following Jessica up on stage."

"I know," I sigh. "It would've been great to graduate with you guys, but leaving was the right decision."

"Is your dad's case finished now?" Angela asks, sipping her drink.

"Oh… yeah, it finished up in May," I lie. "Just in time for him to be able to come to St. Louis to see me get my diploma. Which reminds me… I wish I could've seen your valedictorian speech in person instead of having to rely on your mom's less-than-stellar video skills!"

"Yeah," she laughs. "Mom blamed the tall guy sitting in front of her."

"Have I missed anything else big in the last six months?" I ask curiously.

"Hmmmm… well, I probably texted you whenever anything happened," she laughs. "Oh, wait, maybe I forgot to mention that Mr. Cullen completed his PhD back in March. He'd been an ever bigger dick than usual up until that point, but after he completed it, he seemed to move one notch closer to being a human being. I imagine the whole defending your work thing was stressful, but still."

"So is he leaving Lincoln Park?" I ask, eyes wide.

"I don't know," she shrugs. "I asked him just before classes ended if he had a new job lined up at a university, and he said no. I did find out at some point that his wife works at one of the art museums in Chicago. He may be limited to positions in town if she doesn't want to leave her job."

"Yeah, I'd imagine so," I murmur, barely listening. Why, after all these months, does just the mention of Mr. Cullen's name send me deep into my memories of him?

"I think he missed you," Angela says, and I look up at her in shock. She can't _know_ anything, can she?

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Just… he liked you. And me. Because we did well in his class. I think he was irritated at being down one star performer," she chuckles.

I try to smile, but it probably comes out like a grimace.

"Seriously though, he did ask about you a few times," Angela continues. "I told him you were doing well."

Not wanting talk of Mr. Cullen to ruin my appetite, I change the subject. "So how are things going with Ben?" I know they started dating after Winter Break.

Her blush gives her away. "Ben is just… I think he's the boy I'm going to marry one day," she replies, a goofy grin on her face.

"So it's serious?" I exclaim. I'm so happy for her. If anyone deserves happiness, it's Angela.

"Yeah," she smiles. "We've said the L word and all that. I'm disappointed that we aren't going to school together, but he's staying in Chicago at least, at U of I."

"That's so awesome. Ben has always seemed like a really nice guy."

"He's the best! But you didn't meet anyone in St. Louis? What about that Jake guy you mentioned a few times?"

"Jake is a great guy, but… Ben is more his type."

"Oh," she giggles.

"With everyone going off to different schools in the fall, I just didn't see the point, you know? But I'm looking forward to college boys," I grin.

* * *

My dad has been saving up for my college expenses for my entire life, though on a public servant's salary, all he could manage to accumulate was enough for a state school. I'd always planned to get college loans for the rest, but thanks to my mom's guilt over never being there for me, she and Phil have agreed to pay for my living expenses for the next few years. Instead of living at home or in a dorm, I move into an off-campus apartment with Alice and Jake in mid-August, before classes at UMSL start on the 21st.

Thanks to my AP credits, I'm well on my way to being considered a sophomore. With an extra class here or there, I could potentially graduate a year early.

I'm only taking one _Interpersonal Communications_ class in my major, with the rest core courses or electives. I pretty much hate all math and science classes, but seeing as taking at least one science class is a requirement for my degree, I thought I could at least choose something fun, like _Astronomy_ , to go along with _Calculus_ and _US Civilization_.

My AP English course transferred as _Topics in Literature_ , leaving me free to sign up for a higher level literature class this semester. I chose _English Literature after 1790_ , with classes meeting Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 to 12:15. I'm really excited about it.

Finding the Literature classroom on the first day, I choose an open seat toward the middle of the room and settle in, pulling out my notebook and a copy of the first book that we were assigned to read.

I'm reading a text message from Angela on my phone when I hear the door close. Hurriedly putting my phone away in my purse, I gasp as I look up at the professor as he walks toward his desk.

 _No!_ No, it can't be, but from his profile, the man who's about to teach this class looks an awful lot like…

"Good morning," he greets us in a voice that sounds awfully familiar, "I'm Professor Cullen."

* * *

 **A/N** : So Bella went to her senior prom, graduated from high school, spent four weeks helping with Habitat for Humanity, then went back to Chicago to spend some time with her Dad and old friends. She still can't keep Mr. Cullen out of her head… and according to Angela, he may have the same problem.

But she's got an even bigger problem now that classes have started.

Next update on **Thursday**. I really hope FF has fixed its shit by then.

For a teaser: A #1 power ballad by a (sorta) hair band. It's what Bella is saying to herself now… besides "oh fuck."


	7. Chapter 6: Here I Go Again

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! **I've updated three times since FF has been wonky with alerts, so if you didn't see all three chapters, please go read and review now!** I replied to all reviews last chapter, but you may have to go into your Inbox directly to see the replies.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Whitesnake go to: **HunterBrooke** , **ghostreader24** , **orion03981** , and **MIRosebud**. I might have thrown you all off by calling it a power ballad, since it's not one in the traditional sense, but it's not a hard-rocking song either.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 6 – Here I Go Again_

I don't hear a word Mr. — I mean _Professor_ Cullen — says as he explains how the class is going to work. My mind is reeling and I feel almost dizzy. How could he be _here_ as my teacher again? I'm certain that the professor's name listed for this class was Maltby or something like that.

And then I start to get angry. _Really_ angry. This can't just be a coincidence, can it? He must have found out where I was planning to go to school and managed to finagle himself a job here. He must have followed me here from Chicago.

I'm still steaming when the student seated in the left front corner of the room stands up, introducing herself as a sophomore English major from Kirkwood. My heart starts beating madly as I realize that it'll soon be my turn. I'm not even sure I can stand up right now, let alone speak coherently without my voice shaking.

Once the student in front of me has sat down, I force myself onto my feet, turning as she did to face the majority of the class seated behind me — mostly to avoid looking at _him_.

"I-I'm Isabella Swan. I'm a freshman majoring in Communications. I've lived most of my life in Chicago, but I graduated from Lafayette High School in Wildwood last May."

My intro over, I spin around, falling into my seat. Though I try not to, I can't help catching _Professor_ Cullen's eye.

He's white as a sheet.

I try, I really try to pay attention once the class discussion starts. This was the class I'd been so looking forward to, but now I've got to deal with _him_ again.

Or maybe I don't. Admittedly, it's been awhile since I looked at the academic course catalog, but I'm fairly certain that the _Before 1790_ course had only one section available, while _After 1790_ had two. I can stop by the Office of the Registrar as soon as class ends and change to the other section!

Once I've made that realization, I start to relax and focus on the class discussions. Of course, I get pissed off again every time _Professor_ Cullen speaks, but I just keep repeating to myself that I'll be out of his class for good before 1pm.

As the last few minutes of class dwindle down, I face a new dilemma — walk out of the classroom and never look back, or confront him? But as I think about him likely following me here, forcing me to deal with him again when I should be learning and growing — I know what I have to do.

When class ends for the day, I take my time getting my things together. I don't want it to look like I'm waiting around to speak to the professor, yet that's exactly what I'm doing. After just a minute or two, there are only two students left in the room, and the other one is standing in front of my nemesis, preening and flirting. It's pretty disgusting to witness.

And then I think, is that what _I_ looked like last year?

Once she's finally left, I take a deep breath, then approach the front of the room, glancing at the door to make sure no one is lingering outside.

"Did you follow me here?" I ask angrily.

Mr. Cullen's eyes widen. "I had no idea you were going to school here, Bella. I thought you were going to U of I. At least that's what I'd heard."

His denial brings me up short. He's either telling me the truth, or he's a really good liar.

In frustration, I turn away, stalking toward the classroom door.

"Bella!" he calls out behind me, but I ignore him. Once I'm out of the room, I start to breathe a little easier, but it's not until I'm standing outside in the hot August sun that I can take a deep breath. Pulling out my copy of the campus map, I search for the main administration building.

I finally find Woods Hall on the map, located a few blocks to the south of the College of Arts & Sciences building. It looks like it could take several minutes to get there, so I walk quickly, just wanting to get this over with. As I near the building, I remember that it's lunchtime, and I wonder if the registrar's office is even open.

Inside, I find an administrative assistant seated at a desk. "May I help you?" she asks, looking up from her computer.

"I'd like to talk to someone about swapping one of my classes."

"Of course," she nods. "Do you have your student ID?"

Taking a seat in the small chair next to her desk, I hand her my ID and she types the number into her computer. "All right, Miss Swan, do you know what change you'd like to make?"

"I'd like to change _English Literature After 1790_ from the section that met today to the other available section," I reply, holding my breath while she types away on her computer.

"Let's see… there is one other section that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 10:45 with Dr. Wall."

"Oh," I frown. "I've got another class then." I guess that's why I chose the class I had.

"Well, if it's that important, we could potentially move your _US Civilization_ class to another section. As a core course, there should be several options available, if they're not already full."

I sigh. I really liked the professor for that class when we met for the first time yesterday. I don't want to completely mess with my entire schedule just to avoid one huge dick.

"No, it's — sorry to waste your time." I give her a polite smile and stand up. "I guess I'll just have to endure it," I complain to myself as I step out into the hallway.

* * *

Following my afternoon class, I stop by the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for dinner tonight. Seeing chicken breasts on sale, I know just what I want to make.

Once I get home, I start making my favorite recipe for stuffed chicken breasts. The first step is to pound the chicken flat, so that I can later add the filling and roll it up. I close my eyes, picturing Mr. Cullen's face as I pound and pound.

"My God, Bella, the counters here aren't granite like at my house!" Alice shouts over the noise, startling me. I stop immediately, looking up at her guiltily. "That's better. What's got you all worked up?"

"It-it's part of the recipe to pound the chicken flat," I protest.

"Yeah, but you were enjoying it just a little too much," she grins, running her hands under the faucet in the sink. "Need any help?"

"You can't cook, Alice."

"I can cook!"

"What can you make that's more difficult than peanut butter and jelly?" I ask wryly.

"Well… maybe I could learn if you teach me."

"Fine," I sigh. "You can start on the marinara sauce, maybe? The recipe is on the counter." I nod toward it.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just buy a jar of sauce?"

"Yes, but homemade tastes better. I guarantee you wouldn't like a jar nearly as much as what your family's cook has been serving you for the last half dozen years."

Alice flips me the bird, picking up the can of stewed tomatoes. I've already got the can opener out and sitting on the counter. "So, um… how do I open these?" she asks sheepishly.

"With the can opener." I knew this was a bad idea.

"Nothing's happening," she complains a few moments later.

I sigh, turning around to look. "That's because I hadn't plugged it in yet."

"Oopsie!" she laughs, and I shake my head as I go back to my task, flattening the last chicken breast.

"Seriously, Bella," Alice begins once I'm finished, "you seem a little too into that. Is something wrong?"

I sigh, turning to face my friend. I wish I could tell her exactly what's wrong, but… I'm scared. Alice isn't a judgmental person by nature, but I had sex with my high school teacher. I'm afraid that she'll look at me differently. I need to tell her something close enough to the truth so that she'll understand.

"Remember that older guy I was involved with?" She nods, looking at me with rapt attention. "Well, the professor from this morning's class really reminded me of him."

"How so?" she asks, eyes wide.

"He's… really good-looking. And his green eyes are nearly identical. It just pissed me off having to look at someone who reminds me of the low point in my life."

She smiles sympathetically. "Which class?"

" _English Literature after 1790_ — the one I'd really been looking forward to."

"Ugh," she wrinkles her nose. "I can see why you're pissed."

I nod. "I tried to change to the other class section, but it's at the same time as one of my other classes, so…" I trail off, shrugging.

"Well, that sucks. But I'm sure as the class goes on, you'll be able to see the professor as his own person and not just a reminder of your ex."

"Yeah," I sigh. Little does she know.

* * *

Unlike the hopeful and excited mood I had walking into my literature class on Wednesday, I'm now dreading it on Friday. This time, _Professor_ Cullen is already there when I arrive, but I try not to glance his way as I take my seat.

Throughout the class, I try as hard as I can to forget who he is and just pay attention to the discussions that he leads. He really seems to be in his element here, with a classroom full of mostly sophomores who _want_ to study English Literature. The students bring up so much more interesting points than in either of my high schools. I even find myself adding to the discussion.

When the class is over, I gather up my things, not trying to take my time as I did after our first class. I'm halfway to the door when I hear, "Ms. Swan," in that velvety voice. Stopping, I turn around, looking up at Mr. Cullen.

He waits until the last student is out of the room before he speaks. "I've got to admit, I didn't expect to see you in class today, Ms. Swan. I assumed you were going to run away from me again."

I grit my teeth, my blood boiling. In my anger, I end up spitting out the truth. "I already had another class scheduled at the same time as the alternate section."

His face lights up in a sickening smirk. "So you _did_ try to change classes."

"What are you doing here?" I ask angrily, changing the subject.

"I was offered a job here, Ms. Swan. I completed my PhD earlier this year," he explains. "You probably knew that."

"I didn't keep tabs on you," I lie.

He shrugs. "You knew it was my goal to teach at a university; I jumped at the first opportunity."

"My syllabus said Dr. Maltby taught this class."

"Yes," he nods. "Dr. Maltby asked for an indefinite leave of absence to take care of his wife, who had a stroke over the summer. I was hired just to replace him for now, though they're considering expanding the department soon, so it may turn into a full-time gig.

"Ms. Swan, I hope we can find a way to co-exist. I've always valued your contributions to class discussions."

I can't help it; I smile involuntarily at the compliment.

"I've missed your smile," he says quietly.

My smile falters. "Go to hell." Turning, I stalk out of the room.

* * *

To my surprise, Mr. Cullen leaves me alone the following week. I participate in the class discussions as I normally would, and he pays me no special attention. I can almost deal with him being my teacher again if he's going to treat me like any other student. Almost.

After class on Friday, I head to The Nosh cafeteria in the Millennium Student Center for lunch, sitting down at a small table by myself to study after I've eaten, since I have a test today in my afternoon class. I've just pushed my tray to the side when I hear the sound of the chair across from me being pushed back from the table.

Looking up, my eyes narrow when I see Professor Cullen with a tray holding a burger and a drink on the table in front of him. "Following me again?" I ask angrily.

"And how was I to know you were here?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It's lunchtime." Duh.

He chuckles. "And so it is. I forgot to bring a lunch to heat up in my office today, forcing me to eat here."

"There are plenty of other tables," I hint.

"There are," he agrees, "but you're sitting at this one, and I wanted to talk to you."

"We have nothing to discuss, Professor Cullen."

He sighs. "For God's sake, call me Edward. You've had my tongue in your mouth… among other things," he smirks.

"We have nothing to discuss, _Edward_ ," I snark, trying to ignore that reminder.

"Why did you leave Chicago?" he asks.

"So I didn't have to deal with you!" I almost shout. "Yet here you are, interrupting my lunch."

"Your tray looks empty," he remarks.

"Do you always have to be such an asshole?"

He sighs again, closing his eyes as he tears at his hair. "I'm sorry that you've been carrying around this anger for the last nine months. If you'd have just let me explain, maybe… maybe you could let go of some of it."

"I'd completely forgotten about you."

"Liar," he smirks, raising my ire once again. "Look, Bella… there are some things you don't know, some things that might make a difference if you'd just hear me out."

"You keep saying that!"

"And you keep refusing to listen. It's not for me, all right? I accept that you hate me because I wasn't honest with you. It's for _you_ , so you can get some… I don't know, peace of mind?"

I lean back in my seat, staring across the table at him as I consider his words.

He has said something similar before, that I might feel differently about what happened between us if I'd just let him explain. But what possible explanation could there be? He introduced the blonde woman as his _wife_. He's married, and he didn't think that important enough to mention it before we had sex.

No, there's nothing he could say that could change my mind about him. Standing up, I lift my backpack onto my shoulders, then pick up my tray.

"Bella, please," he begs.

"Your burger's getting cold," I tell him as I walk away. I guess I'll go study in the Quiet Lounge.

* * *

 **A/N** : So Bella tried and failed to switch classes, but she's sticking it out! She's still not willing to let him explain though. Should she give him a chance? Do you believe him when he says it's just a coincidence that he talk a short-term job at the same school she's attending?

Next update on **Monday**. I really hope FF has fixed its shit by then.

For a teaser: Another #1 power ballad from late in the decade, but this one is really tough without context. It's Bella's birthday but I couldn't think of any good titles related to that.


	8. Chapter 7: I'll Be There for You

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! **FF seemed to send out alerts properly on Thursday, so hopefully everyone is all caught up!**

Readers are definitely split between the majority who feel Bella should hear him out and a pretty sizeable minority who are praising her for remaining strong and not making it easy for him.

I stumped everyone with this chapter's title by Bon Jovi. It'll hopefully make sense after the chapter.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 7 – I'll Be There for You_

After my encounter with _Edward_ , Alice, Jake and I go home for the long Labor Day weekend to see our respective families before returning to our off-campus apartment.

The next week passes relatively uneventfully, with my dick of a professor completely ignoring me in class once again. Actually, I'm not complaining; I'm rather thankful for small favors. He seems to be able to keep our interactions just teacher-student during class time, allowing me to concentrate on our discussions and my work. Sometimes I catch an odd look on his face when he looks at me though.

My 19th birthday happens to fall on a Wednesday this year, which means I've got Professor Cullen's class. Ugh. I try not to let it ruin the day for me. Alice is planning some big get-together later this evening at the Student Center, inviting all of the new friends the three of us have made over the first three weeks of classes. I'm really looking forward to it.

Walking into the classroom, I take my usual seat and pull out my copy of the book we're reading. Professor Cullen isn't here yet, so I take the time to pull out my phone and reply to some of the many Happy Birthday messages left on my Facebook wall. Angela makes me smile, having uploaded a video of herself singing _Happy Birthday_ ; she was in the a cappella choir in high school and has a great singing voice.

When I hear the door close, I look up automatically, my mouth falling open. _Edward_ is wearing those fucking blue pants that never fail to turn me on. I narrow my eyes and he slips me a covert wink as he returns last week's essay. The little shit totally knows what those pants do to me. I'm surprised though that he returns the papers silently, without his usual demeaning commentary.

Throughout the class, I do my best to avoid looking at my teacher. I will not notice the way those blue pants emphasize his… endowment. Of course, he seems to deliberately walk down the row beside me multiple times during the discussion, as if _daring_ me to look.

Try as I might, I can't help but oblige. _Goddamn_ , I also can't help but rub my thighs together. I know what's lurking in those pants and I know what it can do.

Unfortunately the big dick is attached to… an even bigger dick. _Forget about it, Bella_ , I tell myself over and over.

I breathe a sigh of relief when class is over, quickly collecting my things.

"Happy birthday, Ms. Swan," I hear just as I'm about to walk out the door. I know I can keep going, pretend I didn't hear him, but it's as if he has some mystical hold over me.

Obediently, I turn around. "How did you know?" I question.

"I remember from last year when your friends wished you a happy birthday."

My mouth drops open. He seriously remembers that? I mean, I can imagine he would recall the birthday wishes, but to remember the _date_ 12 months later?

"Do you like your gift?" he asks, smirking.

"My—ugh!" I scream once I realize that he absolutely did wear the blue pants on purpose.

Laughing, he steps closer to me. "I have to admit, I'm not exactly sure why you like these pants. I just know that you can't stop staring every time I wear them," he says quietly. Before I can think of a reply, he reaches out and twirls the end of my hair around his finger. I know I should take a step back, but I can't move. I'm rooted to the spot.

"Any big plans for your birthday?" he asks.

"Al-Alice and Jake have planned something at the Student Center this evening," I stutter.

"Who are they?" he asks, eyes narrowing.

"Friends of mine — not that it's any of your business," I reply irritably. "I met them last semester and since we're all students here, we decided to get an off-campus apartment together."

"You share an apartment with a man?" he asks as he drops his hand. His tone sounds almost… resentful.

"Don't even pretend you have a right to be jealous," I reply angrily. Then I sneer at him, "How's _Tanya_?"

"Back in Chicago."

"What?"

"She didn't want to leave her job in Chicago when I took this position."

I open my mouth to make a snarky comment, then close it again. Why am I standing here talking to him anyway? And why did I let him touch my hair?

Pissed at myself, I turn and stomp out of the classroom.

* * *

After my last class of the day, I study for a while, then take my books out to my car and head to the Millennium Student Center. Alice told everyone to show up any time after 4pm.

"Happy birthday!" she greets me with a hug when I arrive.

"You already wished me a happy birthday this morning!" I laugh, hugging her back.

"Come on, there are some people I want you to meet!"

It feels like Alice knows half the campus, though I know there are probably only a few dozen people here. She's of course pledging a sorority — I declined on that one — and is planning to join the student government, so she's met a lot of upperclassmen already.

And Jake has brought the athletes. Basketball season doesn't begin until November, but the team is already practicing regularly.

We migrate over to The Nosh to order food to bring back before it closes at 6pm. They even have a Pizza Hut, so many of the students go in together on large pizzas.

Alice, Jake and I are seated together sharing a pizza when she looks straight ahead and narrows her eyes. "That guy with the ponytail is kinda creepy," she says. "Don't look! He's at about 3 o'clock to you, Bella."

Jake ignores her warning and turns his head anyway. "That's James Hunter," he says. "He's a senior. I've gotta admit, he seems a little off. He's not a basketball _player_ — obviously — but he hangs around with the team helping with strength and conditioning exercises since he's planning to be a Phys Ed teacher. To be honest, I didn't really want to invite him but he was there when I was asking the other guys, sorry."

"Yeah, definitely stay away from him," Kate says. She's in the sorority Alice wants to join. "A friend of mine dated him briefly last year and thought he had a bit of wandering eye, if you know what I mean."

"Are you from the area, Bella?" Kate's boyfriend, Garrett, asks.

"I finished high school at Lafayette, but I lived in Chicago for nearly 10 years prior to that. What about you?"

"I grew up nearby in Florissant. Kate is from out near Columbia," he answers.

"And you didn't go to Mizzou, Kate?" I question. The largest school in the University of Missouri system is located in Columbia.

"Too many people," she smiles. "And besides, there isn't a whole lot going on in Columbia outside of Mizzou. I wanted to move to a larger city."

Once we've eaten, we move into the social area where there are dart boards, a few arcade games and several pool tables. Alice, of course, had a pool table in her home's huge basement rec room, so she's quite good. Me, not so much.

Alice and I team up against Jake and another basketball player — whose name escapes me — for a round of pool. I completely suck, so Alice is totally carrying our duo.

It's my turn and there are just a couple of balls remaining when I feel a warm body come up behind me. Tattooed arms wrap around me, arranging my hands on the pool cue.

"You're holding it wrong," a male voice says into my right ear. "Do it like this."

I have no idea who this man is, and I wonder if this is his way of hitting on me. I'm more uncomfortable than turned on though. I look up and see that Alice is laughing with Kate, who's playing at the table beside us, so she's oblivious to my discomfort. Jake ran off to get another drink after he flubbed his last shot; I can't rely on him to help me.

"I've got it," I say, hoping the tattooed guy will back off.

Instead, he starts moving my body slightly, showing me how to line up the shot. And then I feel something. Is he _hard_?

"R-really, I've got it now. I'm ready to take the shot," I add.

"You need to relax, take a deep breath first," he continues, clearly unable to take the hint.

"'I've got it!" I yell in frustration, standing up straight. "Get away from me."

The next thing I know, the tattooed man is gone and I hear a loud thud. Turning toward the noise, my mouth falls open at the sight of Professor Cullen holding a man against the nearest wall with a forearm across his chest. _He_ is my savior?

"Jesus, man, I was just trying to help her!" the tattooed guy exclaims. As he turns his head, I see he's got a ponytail — this must be the creepy James.

"The lady didn't want your attention," the professor says through gritted teeth.

"James," Jake calls, rushing over toward the melee, "maybe you should leave, huh? Come on, let me show you out."

At the sight of the six-foot-seven Jacob, the professor relinquishes James to his custody, straightening his shirt as he turns to look at me.

"Are you OK, Bella?" Alice asks. She puts her arm around me and I instinctually cringe from the unexpected touch.

"I'm fine," I tell her, giving her a small smile. My heart is still beating madly though. "Why don't you finish out the game? I'm gonna get a drink."

The café is now closed, but there are a few vending machines scattered around the Student Center. I insert my money, then bend over to grab my selection, startling when I turn around to see Professor Cullen.

"Are you really all right, Bella?" he asks.

"I'm fine," I repeat. "What are you even doing here? Did you come because I told you I'd be here?"

"Staff are allowed to visit the Student Center." I narrow my eyes. "You're shaking, Bella. Come on, let's go find a place to sit."

Even though I'm still pissed at him, I allow him to lead me over to a couch in front of the fireplace in the Fireside Lounge. The fire is roaring, despite the warm temperatures outside, but I'm grateful for it.

I pop the pull-tab on my can of Pepsi, then take a long sip, hoping the sugar will help calm my nerves.

Professor Cullen — _Edward_ — brushes my hair back behind my ear, and I find myself not cringing at his touch the way I should.

"Did you know that guy?" he asks.

I shake my head. "Never seen him before. Jake said he's a senior who hangs around with the basketball team."

My hand is still shaking a bit as Edward gently takes the can from my hand and sets it on the table. He then takes both of my hands in his, squeezing gently.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"A little," I admit, giving him a small smile. "It's… it's stupid. Yes, he made me uncomfortable, but we were surrounded by two dozen people. Nothing was going to happen."

"No one should ever touch you without your permission," he states, and my face flushes as I remember how he had made sure he didn't do anything I didn't want.

I look down at our still-joined hands, and he drops them suddenly. "I suppose this isn't exactly private," he shrugs, and I nod, picking up my can for another sip. No one seems to be paying any attention to us though.

"Why are you here?" I try asking again.

He sighs, running his hand through his hair. "I have office hours all afternoon on Wednesdays. I decided to come by here for dinner instead of going through a drive-thru on my way home."

"Two weeks ago, I heard you complain about eating in the cafeteria."

He smiles. "It actually wasn't half bad once I tried it; much better than the cafeteria at Lincoln Park. Anyway, I saw your group there and… I don't know, lack of anything better to do I guess, I came upstairs once I'd finished eating."

"So you were following us," I reply, narrowing my eyes.

"This time, maybe," he admits. "And it's a good thing I did."

"I'm sure Jake would've taken care of him. You were just closer." Almost immediately, I regret being so dismissive. I am grateful to Edward for stepping in when he did. And as much as it kills me, I should thank him.

"Jake's the tall guy who escorted him out?" he asks before I get the chance.

I nod.

"Look, Bella—"

"There you are!" Alice calls, walking over toward us. "It's time to cut the cake!"

"Now I know you didn't make a cake," I smile, standing.

"Duh! I bought it from my favorite bakery. Come on!"

"That's Alice," I tell Edward as we start walking back to the group. "She's a force of nature."

"I can see that," he laughs.

I've never enjoyed being the center of attention, but that's exactly what I am once I reach the group. Edward fades into the background, standing by the wall, as the other students sing _Happy Birthday_ and then Alice begins cutting the large sheet cake.

"Can you really be trusted with such a large knife?" I joke.

"Shut it, Swan!"

Alice hands me the first piece, the corner piece with tons of frosting — my favorite! Since I still have my can of Pepsi, I don't have enough hands to remain standing, so I find a chair while I eat the sweet treat.

"So," Alice begins, sitting beside me a couple of minutes later, "who was that totally hot guy you were just sitting with?"

* * *

 **A/N** : So Edward remembered Bella's birthday and gave her a little gift, heehee. He may have been kinda stalkerish following her later on, but it was for the best, as he was able to step in when creepy James wouldn't leave her alone. I hope the title makes sense now.

Next update on **Thursday**. What should she tell Alice?

For a teaser: A Top 5 mid-80s hit by a female singer who also had huge success as part of a band in the 70s. I just changed my mind on this one on Friday lol.

* * *

"Lonely in Your Nightmare" has been voted into Round 2 of the TwiFic Fandom Awards in the categories of "Favorite Drop Everything Fic" (for WIP, which is was at the time of the nominations) and "Favorite Empire Records" (includes a playlist). Please vote if you're so inclined! I'll post a real link on FictionPad since FF makes this difficult:

twificfandomawards. blogspot. c-o-m /p/vote. html


	9. Chapter 8: Talk to Me

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! I sensed a small but of softening toward Edward.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Stevie Nicks go to: **orion03981** , **Taylor9901** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **MissyDy** , **Midnight Cougar** , **TrulyOutrageous** , and **Faerywren**. I also gave the teaser to four others who got the artist but not the right song.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 8 – Talk to Me_

 _Who was that totally hot guy you were just sitting with?_

Shit! I'm like a deer in headlights after Alice's question. I can't tell her that Edward is one of my professors, can I? We were just talking when she showed up — nothing wrong with that — but what if the truth invites too many questions?

"I mean, I saw him act as your knight in shining armor and push James into the wall," Alice continues, "but do you know him?"

"His name is Edward." There, that sounds simple enough.

"And? How do you know him?"

"From one of my classes," I reply vaguely.

"Hmmm… he looks a bit older than a traditional student." She shakes her head. "To each his own. Anyway, are you really OK? You looked kinda shook up earlier."

"I'm really OK," I assure her. And I am, once Edward calmed me down. I don't really want to think about the implications of that right now though.

"You want to try playing darts?"

I laugh, nodding my agreement.

Of course, Alice's basement also has a dart board, so she beats me handily. It's still a lot of fun though. Maybe I need to spend more time in the Student Center practicing my bar games before I'm old enough to legally enter bars.

"I'm gonna head out," I tell Alice after our game. The party seems to be winding down anyway.

"All right, see you at home!"

After a final hug, I step outside and start heading toward the lot where I'd parked my car earlier.

"Bella!" a male voice calls, and I turn as I hear footsteps approaching.

"Following me again?"

Edward smiles. "Yes, I thought I'd walk you to your car. It's after sunset."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask as I start walking again.

"Why wouldn't I be nice? Because you usually won't give me the time of day?"

I stop, turning to look at him. "We broke up," I remind him. "If we could've ever been considered together."

He sighs. " _You_ broke up with _me_ then. It wasn't my idea."

"No, you were just the one with a wife," I spit out, continuing on my way.

Once we've reached my car in the parking lot, I hit the Unlock button on the keyfob, then turn toward Edward. "I'm here. You can be on your way now. I'm sure Tanya is missing hearing from you or something," I add, feeling like a bitch as I say it.

Instead of leaving, he remains standing there, looking at me sadly. "Please, Bella, just… let me explain some things to you."

"Whatever you have to say, it doesn't matter," I stress.

"I know you think that," he responds, his hands up in a placating motion. "Just… give me a half hour of your time. You can name the time and place, I don't care."

"Why is this so important to you?" I cry in frustration.

"Because I care about you!" he shouts. "I hate to see you hurting."

"Maybe you should've thought about that before you seduced me."

"You wanted everything that happened between us!"

"But I didn't know you were married. Why didn't you tell me?" I cry.

"I didn't think it mattered," he says tiredly. "I know this sounds bad, but I thought… I thought I was just some fantasy of yours. I had no idea that you actually wanted a… relationship with me. I had no idea that you were a virgin and that it meant as much to you as it did."

Edward sighs, closing his eyes for a moment as he takes a deep breath. "I realize that's no excuse and that I hurt you, and for that, I am so sorry, Bella. I don't deserve the time of day from you, but… please consider letting me explain. Just tell me you'll think about it."

I feel tears pricking at my eyes at his first genuine apology. I'm not sure I'm ready to listen, but…

"I'll think about it," I promise, opening the car door.

* * *

And I really do think about it. Every free minute, my mind wanders, remembering each moment Edward and I have spent alone together, here and back in Lincoln Park. I recall the way just his presence at the party was able to make me feel safer, and I replay every word of his genuine apology.

Up until he introduced his wife, I'd begun to feel like there was a good guy under that dick exterior. Part of me still wants to believe that, to know that I can trust my own judgment.

Yet, I don't know what he can possibly say that would make a difference to me. Nothing will change the fact that he was and still is married. I really hope he's not one of those stereotypical cheating men who blames his wife for being a bitch or not wanting sex more than once a month.

But what if it does make a difference? What if I had put aside my anger long enough to listen to him last December? What if I learn that I ran away from Chicago for nothing? No, no matter what, it wasn't for nothing. It was because I left that I had a chance to get closer to my mother, to meet Alice and Jake, and to grow as a person. I'm where I'm supposed to be.

I know that the only way I'll ever know what he wants to tell me is if I agree to meet with him. Maybe it _will_ bring me the peace of mind that he keeps telling me it will.

* * *

It's Friday, nine days after my birthday, when I finally make the decision to listen to Edward's story. I'm in his class, listening to his point of view in the class discussion, which has turned into more of a debate. He's so passionate about literature and I feel like… like there has to be a good man in there somewhere.

Once class is over, I take my time getting my things together, waiting for the other students to leave. He raises an eyebrow as I approach him.

"If-if you're free later today, I'm ready to listen," I tell him quietly.

"I have office hours until three, but I'm open after that."

I nod slowly. "My afternoon class is over at 3:15."

"I don't know where your apartment is, but I'm in Maryland Heights. There's a St. Louis Bread Co. on St. Charles Rock Rd, near McKelvey. That might be a place where we won't feel guilty about just sitting and talking," he smiles. "I get breakfast there sometimes and it always seems like it's full of people on their laptops, conducting business."

"All right," I agree. "I'll head there after class."

Edward smiles widely. "I look forward to it."

* * *

I don't start to get nervous until I pull into the parking lot. I just don't know if I'm prepared for what Edward is going to tell me. Maybe nothing will prepare me for the truth.

If it is even the truth. There's a part of me that wonders if he'll lie, but I don't think he will. I have to believe that he won't.

Walking inside, I order just a drink, then find the machine to fill my cup.

"Bella!" Edward calls, and I look around, spotting him seated in a small, private corner booth. There are only a handful of other people scattered around the restaurant.

I sit down across from him and he smiles at me. "I've gotta admit, I was afraid you wouldn't show."

"I'm ready to listen, but I can't promise I—"

"I'm not asking for any promises," he swears, then runs his hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. "I've been rehearsing this for weeks," he chuckles.

"That sure I'd eventually give in, huh?"

"I hoped," he says quietly, then takes a sip from his bottle of lemonade. "Yeah, so… the beginning, I guess. I met Tanya in college at the University of Illinois in Chicago. I was in grad school, while she was an undergrad. We… dated casually—"

"You mean you hooked up," I interrupt, my stomach churning a bit at the thought. I take a long sip of my Pepsi.

"All right," he nods, "we hooked up occasionally, but we were mostly friends. We'd bonded over some shared experiences in our respective childhoods. Um, Tanya is from Russia — Siberia, to be exact."

My eyes widen at the revelation. I _knew_ she had an accent when she spoke at the football game, though I was too upset at the time to even try to place it.

"She'd attended college in the US as part of an international student program, and she'd really come to love it here. Plus… there were some difficulties back in Siberia that she didn't want to return to. She wanted to stay in the US after graduation, and so she applied for an H-1B Visa, but… she was turned down. Tanya's major was Art History, and she had a job offer from one of the Chicago art museums, but that wasn't considered enough of a specialty occupation to earn that sort of Visa."

He pauses, taking a deep breath. "However, she could earn a green card to stay in the country if…

"She married an American citizen," we both say nearly simultaneously.

Edward gives me a small smile, nodding.

"And you were willing to do that for her?" I ask in shock. "I mean, I'm pretty sure a fake marriage to gain citizenship is illegal and it still takes years to become a citizen."

"One thing at a time," he says, holding up his hand. "Tanya and I got married just after we graduated. She immediately applied for a green card, knowing that as my wife, once she got it, she'd be eligible to apply for citizenship in three years, instead of the usual five."

"So you put your life on hold for three years."

"Not exactly. When Tanya and I decided to get married, we both agreed that we'd give it a try as a 'real' marriage," he explains, complete with air quotes. "I loved her as a good friend and… we were sexually compatible. I never looked at it as putting my life on hold. Though I didn't love her as a man probably should love his wife, my priority for the next several years was working on my PhD. Even if it didn't work out between us, I didn't anticipate having the time to meet or fall in love with anyone else before she got her citizenship."

Edward fiddles with the cap from his bottle, and I'm mesmerized as I watch his long fingers. I'm trying not to guess what's coming next. I'm not sure I won't throw something if he tells me they fell in love and were blissfully happy.

"Despite our friendship," he finally says, "it turned out that we didn't really work as a couple. I don't know how to explain it, really. Sex is sex and it was good with Tanya, but…" he pauses, shrugging. "Neither of us felt the way we should about the other. After a year or so, we made the mutual decision to stop trying, though obviously we'd remain married for as long as we needed to. I moved out of our bedroom into the guest room, though I had to keep my things in the master for those random inspections. You're right that Immigration takes fake marriages very seriously."

He looks me in the eye before continuing, "Bella… when you and I were… together, I hadn't had sex with Tanya in over two years."

My eyes widen. "Really?" I ask timidly.

"Really," he assures me.

I don't know what to say to that. I stare down at the table while I try to process everything he's told me. Though he was married, he didn't cheat on a loving wife. Somehow, that's not as bad to me.

"What about anyone else?" I whisper.

"Did I have sex with anyone else outside of our marriage, you mean?" I nod. "No, I didn't. Tanya and I never specifically made an agreement that our marriage was now… open, but it went without saying that we'd have to be discreet so as not to jeopardize her citizenship."

"You taught at Lincoln Park for four years, so the three years should be up, right? Tanya's a citizen? Are you divorced now?"

Edward sits up straight, sighing. "The three years didn't start with the date of our marriage in May. It took several months to get her green card approved. Then the clock started. At the time you and I had sex, she'd filed her application for citizenship. She took the test in February, just before I finished up my PhD. We had a huge joint party," he smiles.

"But obviously we couldn't get divorced right away once Tanya became a citizen. I mean, _that_ wouldn't look suspicious." He rolls his eyes. "After I got the job offer here in St. Louis, we decided that I'd move while she remained in Chicago at the job she loves. Later, we'd be able to use the long-distance relationship as a reason why our marriage failed. So, no, I'm not divorced. Yet," he adds.

I wrinkle my nose, still a bit unsure about everything I'm learning. I believe him, I just… don't understand why he jeopardized everything by having sex with me.

"Both you and Tanya could've lost everything if we'd been caught. Or if I'd reported you to the school… or even told Angela."

Edward sighs again, tearing at his hair. "I know. Suffice it to say, after two years of celibacy, I wasn't thinking clearly. I was attracted to you… and not just physically. You were bright and intelligent. You shared my love for literature, and… I don't think I've ever met someone with whom I've really connected on an intellectual level like that." I find myself blushing at his words. "But I never, ever would've done anything about it had I not caught you reading that… ridiculous fan fiction in class."

He pauses to take another drink, and I'm just about to enlighten him as to the merits of fan fiction when he continues speaking.

"I read enough to believe that you might return my feelings — at least the physical part. I wasn't sure though until I caught you staring at my… crotch," he smirks. "And I snapped. Like I told you last week, I thought you were in it for the fantasy. I never dreamed that there could be more to it. The fact that I was still married to Tanya was irrelevant if all we were ever going to have was that one fantasy encounter."

"Irrelevant?" I cry. "How could you have thought for one moment that it wouldn't matter to me?"

Feeling tears pricking at my eyes, I jump up to leave, not wanting him to see me cry.

* * *

 **A/N** : So Bella finally agreed to hear Edward out after he apologized! Several of you had guessed that it was a green card marriage, though sorry, Tanya isn't a lesbian!

More of their conversation to come on **Monday**. How are we feeling about Edward's story so far?

For a teaser: The second big hit from a British band with a colorful lead singer.

* * *

"Lonely in Your Nightmare" has been voted into Round 2 of the TwiFic Fandom Awards in the categories of "Favorite Drop Everything Fic" (for WIP, which is was at the time of the nominations) and "Favorite Empire Records" (includes a playlist). Please vote if you're so inclined! You can vote once a day through Saturday. I'll post a real link on FictionPad since FF makes this difficult:

twificfandomawards. blogspot. c-o-m /p/vote. html


	10. Chapter 9: Time (Clock of the Heart)

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! Several of you had guessed that it might be a green card marriage.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Culture Club go to: **2loveybunnies** , **Midnight Cougar** , **alison actually** , **Faerywren** , **sherylb** , **dawnhybb** , **TrulyOutrageous** , and **astonmartin823**. I also gave the teaser to several others who got the artist but not the right song. I guess this wasn't their most memorable hit!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 9 – Time (Clock of the Heart)_

"Bella!" he cries, putting his hand on my arm before I can take a step. "Please, sit back down."

As upset as I am, that pair of pleading green eyes is enough to make me want to hear him out. "I'm gonna get a refill," I announce, picking up my nearly empty cup. At least the brief walk will give me a chance to take a deep breath and steady my nerves. I will not cry in front of him.

"Thank you," he says quietly once I've sat back down. "And you're right… I was wrong to have ever thought that the truth wouldn't matter to you."

"Why did you hide your marriage to her from everyone?" I ask.

"I never hid my marriage," he swears, shaking his head. "My first year at Lincoln Park, I went to a number of school activities. I thought it was more or less required of me. Tanya and I were trying to make it then, and I brought her along with me whenever I could. Once I realized I didn't have to attend so many activities, I mostly stopped going because high school events didn't interest me. I'd still show up and bring Tanya occasionally because we had to put in appearances together."

"But you chaperoned the homecoming dance."

He smiles. "Last minute favor for another teacher who had to stay home with a sick child. Other than talking to you, I hated every minute of it.

"And that fateful football game…" He shakes his head. "I'd wanted to tell you about Tanya that afternoon in Lincoln Park, but you had to leave. It wasn't something I thought I could discuss via text message, but I planned to tell you in person at the first opportunity.

"When you said you were busy that Friday night, Tanya had no plans either and suggested we do something together. I knew it was the last home game of the season, so we decided to attend the game. I'd been to a handful of games over the years and never seen you, so I never expected to run into you. I never wanted you to learn the truth that way."

"I usually didn't go to games," I admit. "But my friends kinda dragged me along to support the guys since like you said, it was the last home game."

"Fate can be funny like that sometimes." He smiles ruefully. "I made so many mistakes with you, Bella. I never should've acted on my attraction to you in the first place. I was still your teacher, and you were still my student, even if you were of legal age."

He stares intently into my eyes as he speaks, and I finally have to look away. I know that what he's saying is true and that teacher-student relationships are strictly forbidden, but I never thought of what we did as being _wrong_. At least until he introduced Tanya.

"I shouldn't have gotten involved with you in the first place, but given that I made that choice, I should have behaved differently. I shouldn't have underestimated your feelings for me. We should've moved so much more slowly and gotten to know each other before things turned physical. I should've told you about Tanya and never assumed that you'd already heard about her through the grapevine, or that it didn't matter anyway. I should've made you listen to me before you ran away and had to spend your last semester of high school away from the friends you'd had for years," he growls.

"No! I… I mean, yeah, I ran away, but… it was for the best. I met Alice and Jake, who are wonderful. Alice is so ambitious, she wants to go into politics and she believes in helping others. We did two Habitat for Humanity trips this past summer and they were _amazing_. I feel like I've grown so much as a person over the last several months. I did miss my friends in Chicago," I admit, "but don't feel like I haven't had a great life since I left. I'm where I'm supposed to be."

"Thank you for saying that," he says with a small smile.

"C-Can I ask you something else?" I ask hesitantly.

"Of course."

"Did you… meet anyone else after I left?"

"No, Bella. No one has caught my eye since you walked out of my life. I'll… be honest with you. Before I moved here, I did have sex with Tanya again. For old times' sake, I guess," he shrugs. "A goodbye to the best friend a guy could ask for."

I can't deny that it stings a bit to hear that. "Are you sorry it didn't work out between you two?" I whisper.

"No, I'm not. If it was meant to be, then… it would've worked between us. I couldn't make myself love her that way and neither could she. I'm just glad it didn't ruin our friendship."

I swallow thickly. "Does Tanya know about us?"

"No," he answers. "I mean, she might've suspected something, but I never told her. And if Tanya ever met anyone else, she never told me about them," he adds.

"So… now you're just waiting until you think it won't seem suspicious before filing for divorce?"

He nods. "That's the plan. Maybe next summer, if I'm still here."

"You think there's a chance you won't be?" I ask, kicking myself for the slight panic I feel.

"I'm still technically only filling in for Dr. Maltby. Time will tell if he ever comes back, or if the school will be able keep me on in that case. They told me there was a good chance, but they couldn't guarantee it."

"But you jumped at the chance to take the job."

"I did," he smiles. "It had been my dream for a long time to get my PhD and teach at a university. No offense, but high school students drive me insane. You were a bright light among all of the crap."

"If-if you worked so hard for your PhD, why did you introduce yourself to us as _Professor_ Cullen?" I ask curiously.

"Dr. Cullen is my father. I can't get in the habit," he laughs.

"Your father is a medical doctor?"

He nods. "That's a story for another day though. Is there anything else you want to know?"

"I—you dumped a lot on me. I think… I just need time to absorb everything."

"Ok," he says quietly. "Just let me be clear that… today was for you, not for me. I hope you can find some peace with what happened between us. I'm not expecting you to forgive me and want to pick up where we left off."

My eyes widen. "Is that what _you_ want?"

In response, Edward reaches out, taking my left hand in his. He lightly brushes his thumb over the back of my hand, and I feel goosebumps erupt all over my body.

"When I found out that you had left Chicago, I… I never expected to see you again. It hit me pretty hard, and I couldn't even talk about it with anyone. I felt awful that I'd caused you to leave. I hadn't been able to imagine you wanting more than a fantasy with someone so much older than you, but once I found out that you did… I was really looking forward to getting to know you better.

"Finding you again, it feels like fate. I usually don't believe in shit like that, but…" he trails off, shrugging. "So yes, Bella, I would gladly resume our relationship if you could find it in your heart to forgive me and give me another chance."

I inhale sharply. He still wants me. This beautiful, flawed man still wants me.

"I-I don't know what I want," I caution him.

"You know where to find me if you figure it out."

I give him a small smile, pulling my hand out of his. "I'd better get home before Alice and Jake send out a search party."

Edward nods, returning my smile, and I stand. After tossing my empty cup in the trash, I head out to my car, my head still spinning a little.

I'm on the interstate when my phone dings with a text message. I leave it until I exit and sit waiting for the light.

"Fuck," I curse when I see the message from my mom asking where I want to go for dinner. I'd totally forgotten that we were doing my birthday dinner tonight, since Phil was out of town on business last weekend.

Once I've parked at my apartment complex, I text her back with a suggestion that seems central for all of us. At least I've got an hour or so to myself where I can think before I have to leave.

My hopes are dashed when I find Alice already at home, practically bouncing off the walls about a guy she met on campus today. And so I push my conversation with Edward to the back of my mind and do my part as her best friend.

* * *

It's hours later as I crawl into bed that I finally get a moment to myself. I lie there staring at the ceiling and reflect on my day.

Nothing could have prepared me for what Edward told me this afternoon. As much as I don't want to give him the satisfaction of being right, it _does_ make a difference to me that he and Tanya are married in name only.

But holy shit, what a thing to do for his friend! He may not think of it as putting his life on hold, but that's exactly what he did. And I'm pretty sure a fake marriage for a green card is illegal. Maybe not to the extent of actually going to jail, but still. He risked a lot to help out a friend, and only a truly good person would do that.

Despite the fact that he was my high school teacher, I still find it difficult to think of what we did as _wrong_. We were attracted to each other and we acted on it. That wouldn't have been considered wrong if he'd been almost anyone else. I definitely don't believe he used his position to talk me into anything I didn't want to do. I wanted everything we did together. I'd been fantasizing about him for weeks before he ever laid a finger on me.

And he still wants me. I was surprised when he admitted as much. If I'm being honest with myself, I still want him physically. I can't stop the shiver that runs through me every time he touches me.

Edward made a mistake — a big mistake — in not making sure that I was aware of his situation before anything happened between us. I'm still angry about that, even if I can sort of understand what he was thinking.

But I don't know if I can get past it and give him a second chance.

* * *

I guess I'm not surprised when Edward goes back to his usual behavior the following week, treating me like any other student in the classroom. I'm glad he's not pushing me. He said his piece and now it's up to me to decide what I want to do about it. I could do nothing and just try to make it through the rest of the semester in his class, or I could take the leap and forgive him and… see where that leads us.

Two weeks after our talk, I still haven't made a decision. I'm not really in a rush. If I wait too long and he meets someone else, then… I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

I walk into Professor Cullen's classroom on Friday just wanting to get to the weekend. Alice, Jake and I are going to Fright Fest at Six Flags tonight since the temperature is only supposed to drop into the 70s. We likely won't get another nice weekend like this before Halloween. It'll also be the first time for Jake and me to meet Jasper, the junior History major Alice met in The Nosh two weeks ago. They went out to dinner and a movie last weekend and she's already proclaimed him the man she's going to marry.

If only things could be that easy for me.

My jaw nearly falls to the floor when Edward walks in wearing those same fucking blue pants. So much for not pushing me. I try really hard not to give him the satisfaction of even looking, but I can't help sneaking a few peeks.

 _Ugh._ How can just the sight of him in a pair of ordinary blue pants make me want to rip all of my clothes off and plead with him to make me his? It's sort of disgusting how easily he can turn me into this desperate woman.

Once class is dismissed for the day, I rush out of the room before I can do anything stupid, like asking him to meet me in the backseat of a car. Any car.

Even lunch at The Nosh doesn't cool my ardor. Without thinking, I order a basket of chicken strips, but as I take a bite out of them, all I can do is picture my teacher's private parts. Even if the strips are only half his size.

Goddammit, I'm still angry with him — even more so for tempting me with those pants today — but I still want him. There's absolutely no denying it anymore. And I can have him, if only I'm willing to take that leap.

I spend the next 10 minutes arguing with myself in my head. Or maybe it's out loud sometimes, who the heck knows. As I walk out of the cafeteria, I still don't know what I'm going to do.

Until I find myself walking back toward the College of Arts & Sciences building.

* * *

 **A/N** : So after hearing Edward's story, Bella took some time to think about what he said. There was some softening toward Edward in the last chapter, but many of you are still mad at him. His stock has gone up for Bella at least because of what he did for his friend.

Next update on **Thursday**. Is she going to get her man back or punch him in the… face?

For a teaser: The biggest hit from a Southern rock band. Bella said the title (in her thoughts) during this chapter.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who helped vote "Lonely in Your Nightmare" as the #1 fic completed in January 2018 on TwiFanfictionRecs! Moosals has a one-shot called "Bat-Zoned" that's up for the February title.


	11. Chapter 10: Second Chance

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! Edward's blue pants were inspired by a photo on the BDE Contest's Tumblr.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from .38 Special went to: **OWT** , **sherylb** , **orion03981** , **Icequeen13082006** , **tawelephant** , **Midnight Cougar** , **Lady Moon Shadows** , **astonmartin823** , and **EdwardsFirstKiss**. Seems like there was a lot of Googling of Southern rock bands!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 10 – Second Chance_

Finding the floor where the English professors each keep an office, I look around for the door with CULLEN on the nameplate, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. And then I realize he's probably just borrowing Dr. Maltby's office.

I knock on the door once I find it, holding my breath while I wait for Edward to open the door. When it swings open, he stares at me in shock.

"Bella," he finally nods. "What can I do for you?"

He takes a step backward and I walk through the door, waiting for him to close it.

"Why did you wear the pants today?" I ask with a growl.

He looks down, shrugging. "Honestly, I just grabbed the next available pair and didn't pay any attention to them."

I narrow my eyes, trying to figure out if he's being sincere, but I don't think he's ever deliberately lied to me before.

"I'm still mad at you."

"Ok," he says slowly.

Before I can truly analyze what I'm doing, I pounce, standing on my tiptoes as I grab the back of his neck, pulling his lips toward mine. He's only startled for a moment before I feel his lips moving and his hands trailing down from my waist to grasp my backside.

Our kiss is hungry, the end result of 11 months of pent-up passion. His lips seem to be trying to devour me as he lifts me off the ground and shoves my back up against the wall. I can feel my favorite extra-large appendage right where I so need him. Our tongues tangle together as we get reacquainted with each other.

Suddenly we're moving again, and Edward sits with a plop in his office chair. I'm straddling his lap, rubbing myself over his erection as we continue to kiss. Thank god I'm just wearing thin leggings and a long shirt today. I can feel _all_ of him beneath me, and it's glorious. One of his hands leaves my ass, coming up to massage my breast as his mouth finally breaks away from mine. He kisses along my jaw, and I eagerly expose my neck, letting him have whatever he wants.

I may go to hell for this someday, but it'll be so worth it. Absolutely nothing could tear me away from him—

Except that knock at the door. _Fuck!_

We both freeze, pulling ever so slightly back as we stare at each other, wide-eyed.

"Yes?" Edward calls.

"Dr. Cullen, it's Frank. May I speak with you for a moment?" a male voice calls through the door.

Edward hurriedly shoos me off his lap, motioning for me to take a seat in his guest chair. I quickly run my fingers through my hair, trying not to laugh as he reaches down to adjust himself.

"Of course," he replies. "Come in, Dr. Grady."

The door opens and a gray-haired man steps inside, looking surprised for a moment when he notices me seated on the other side of Edward's desk.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I didn't realize you were with a student."

"It's fine," Edward replies with a small smile. "What can I do for you?"

I tune them out when they start talking about some sort of English department issue. I can barely hear them over the pounding of my heart anyway. I'm just thankful that this Dr. Grady knocked. I don't know exactly who he is, but I get the feeling that we could've been in very big trouble had he opened the door to find me writhing on my professor's lap.

Once the older man has left, I let out a long breath. That was way too close.

"English program chair," Edward clarifies quietly. I was right — big, big trouble if we'd been caught.

He stands up, walking around the desk toward where I'm seated. When he takes my hands, I let him pull me to my feet.

"This can never, ever happen again on or even _near_ campus," he says seriously.

"But… it can happen?" I ask in a small voice. If he's suddenly getting cold feet just when I've decided to hell with it…

"As long as I'm your professor, a romantic relationship is prohibited between us," he explains. "In a little over two months, you'll be out of my class and we'll be free to date, though we'll need to remain discreet."

"So you want to wait until after the semester?"

"No," he sighs. "I don't. It's torture to see you and not be able to touch you. But I'll need to be much more careful than I've been with you so far."

"I don't want to wait either," I admit.

Edward gives me a little smile, stepping closer and putting his hands on my hips. Leaning down, he kisses me softly. "What happened to still being angry with me?" he whispers against my lips.

"I still am, but I want to kiss you more than I want to hit you."

Chuckling, he kisses me again, just as softly as before. I kiss him back and it's more like our first kiss in Lincoln Park last Fall than the hungry make-out session of five minutes ago.

"Bella," he whispers, "tell me why you like these pants."

I giggle, kissing him back just a bit harder to distract him, but he's on to me, and he pulls back, looking me in the eye. "Tell me," he repeats.

I can feel my face flaming, and he looks at me curiously when he notices my blush. "They…"

"They what?"

"They really show off the size of your…"

Edward's eyes widen and he laughs out loud. "Ah! So _that's_ why you look like you want to jump me every time I wear them."

"Stop," I complain, shoving him away from me in embarrassment.

Still laughing, he pulls me closer, taking my hand and putting it right on his dick, which still feels semi-hard. I brush my hand up and down, amazed at the way it seems to grow larger by the second.

"Your hand feels so good," he whispers, kissing me again. "I know we need to take it slower this time, but _god_ , I really can't wait to be inside you again."

"I can't wait to have that monster inside me again either," I mumble, my face heating up even more when I realize what I've said.

"Monster, huh?" he smirks, raising one eyebrow.

"It's huge."

Edward laughs. "Above average maybe, but I'm not _that_ big."

"Sure feels huge to me," I retort, giving him a little squeeze.

"Ok," he says, taking a step back. "As much fun as this is, I have office hours now and someone else could knock on that door at any moment. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"I'm going to Six Flags with some friends," I reply, suddenly not as excited about my plans as I was earlier this morning.

"How about tomorrow? Will you spend the day with me?" he asks.

"Doing what?"

He shrugs. "I'll think of something."

"All right," I agree with a smile.

"Text me your address and I'll pick you up around 11?"

I wrinkle my nose. "I may have deleted you from my Contacts and blocked your number."

"Of course you did," he mutters as I take out my phone to reverse the decision I made in anger last year.

* * *

I feel very much like the giddy teenager I am as I get ready for my date with Edward on Saturday morning. I line up all of my clothes on the bed, debating the pros and cons of each one. I know it's ridiculous, I know he already wants me, but I want to remind him of _why_.

With the temperature expected to be in the mid-80s this afternoon, I settle on a pair of denim cut-off shorts and a cute, flowy top. Not too tight, as I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard.

I may also spend far too long curling the ends of my hair and putting on make-up.

I don't know what Edward has planned for the day, but I'm excited for anything. It's our first real date! I'm not completely over my anger, but I've decided to let it go and just see where things go from here. I'm looking forward to getting to know him better.

"What are you up to today?" Jake asks as I step out of my bedroom. He's leaning over the kitchen counter scarfing down a bowl of cereal. Alice has left already to spend the day with her parents, since it's her mom's birthday.

"I'm… going out," I hedge.

"I can see that," he laughs.

"I have a date," I admit. "A _first_ date. I didn't want to tell Alice and have her picking out china patterns for our wedding."

"She does tend to get a little ahead of herself," he agrees with a smile. "Well, good luck! I hope it works out for you. Do I get to meet him?" he adds, straightening to his full, intimidating height.

"Not this time. I don't need you scaring him away."

Checking the time on my phone, I see it's almost 11, so I wave goodbye to Jake and head outside, walking toward the entrance to our apartment complex. Just to be safe, Edward probably shouldn't pick me up near our unit.

When his car pulls over, I shake my head. He drives a silver Volvo which looks like something more fitting for a man twice his age.

"A Volvo, really?" I question as I buckle my seatbelt.

"They're some of the safest cars on the market," he shrugs, his eyes glued to my bare legs.

"Are you a leg man?" I laugh.

"As if you didn't know that already!" He shakes his head, finally turning away.

"I didn't!" I swear, but as I think back, I remember the way he'd looked me up and down at our homecoming dance, when my dress ended above the knees in front. I remember that I was wearing a fairly short dress as part of my Halloween costume the day we had sex. I guess I _should_ have known, had I put the pieces together.

"So where are we going?" I ask curiously.

"Well, I thought we could go to the zoo?" he suggests. "This might be the last nice weekend. I've heard a lot of good things about the zoo since moving here."

"So have I," I confirm. "I haven't visited it yet though."

Edward drives us to the St. Louis Zoo, located in Forest Park. The zoo is free, but they charge for parking, unless you can find an available spot along the street. Of course, with such a nice day, we can't find one and end up in the lot.

The first area we come to near the South Entrance is River's Edge, where the hippos and Asian elephants are, among several other animals. I snap lots of photos with my phone as we make our way along the one-way trail.

After exiting River's Edge, we consult our zoo map, and Edward ends up dragging me into the Insectarium. I shudder the entire way through.

"Are you ready for lunch?" he asks, still laughing at me as we step out of the building.

"Sure," I agree, and we head toward the Lakeside Café. After ordering lunch, we take a seat at an outdoor table near the lake.

"Can I ask you something?" Edward asks as we eat. I nod, since my mouth is full. "You said on the first day of class that you graduated from high school in the area?"

I nod again, swallowing quickly. "Lafayette High School. It's in the Rockwood School District in west St. Louis County."

"How did you manage that? I mean, who did you live with?"

"My mom and stepdad."

"Oh!" His eyes widen. "I guess I assumed you lived with both parents in Chicago."

I shake my head. "Just my dad. You would've met him at parent-teacher conferences, right?"

"I guess so," he chuckles. "It's pretty unusual for a father to get custody after a divorce, isn't it?"

"He didn't. I mean, not at first. Mom lived a bit of a nomadic life. She could never settle in any one area. We moved a lot, and every time a bit further from Chicago, where I was born. First it was Peoria, then Bloomington, then Springfield.

"I was spending Christmas with my dad in third grade when he found out how many different schools I'd already attended. He flipped out and called my mom to yell at her that she was a horrible mother. He threatened to take her back to court and sue for full custody of me, but I think she knew she'd lose, so she just let him take me without a fight."

"Wow," he mutters.

"She's finally settled down," I clarify. "She got remarried during my junior year. Her new husband, Phil, is a CFO for a big company here in town. He's pretty wealthy, from the looks of his house. And he seems like a really nice guy."

Edward smiles. "So how did you convince them to let you move in?"

"I didn't."

He looks at me curiously.

"It was Mom's idea," I explain. "I spent Christmas with her and Phil, and she noticed I was upset about something. I gave her a story about a bad break-up and led her to believe it was with a classmate. She suggested I could leave Chicago if it was that hard to be in the same school with him. I didn't agree right away, but after Angela and I saw you with Tanya at Cheesecake Factory, I made the decision to leave. I gave my dad the same story as Mom," I add.

"I know you said it worked out for the best, but I'm still really sorry to have chased you out of Chicago, Bella," he says, sounding sincere.

I give him a small smile. "It was the best decision for me at the time."

"Your friends wouldn't have believed that story, though, would they?" he asks.

"No," I sigh. "My dad's a cop, so I told them he had the opportunity to work an undercover case — meaning it was too dangerous for me to stay in Chicago."

Edward remains silent, and when I look up at him, he's white as a ghost. "Your dad is a _cop_? Jesus Christ."

* * *

 **A/N** : So instead of doing the smart, safe thing and waiting until the end of the semester to start dating, Bella and Edward decided to hell with it, starting with a day at the zoo. Will that decision come back to bite them? They already almost got caught making out in his office.

Poor Edward, imagine learning that the high school student he had sex with is the daughter of a cop!

Next update on **Monday** with the rest of their date.

For a teaser: A Top 10 hit from a female singer who's more known for posing topless than any great singing talent. I liked her songs though.


	12. Chapter 11: Touch Me (I Want Your Body)

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! Lots of worry that they're taking too big of a chance by going somewhere public like the zoo.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from British singer Samantha Fox go to: **Faerywren** , **Lady Moon Shadows** , **2loveybunnies** , **Midnight Cougar** , **Scoobylover68** , **TrulyOutrageous** , **dawnhybb** , and **AbruptlyChagrined**. This one was tougher than I expected! Many of you guessed female singers who would probably be upset to hear that so many people think they can't sing lol.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 11 – Touch Me (I Want Your Body)_

I can't help but laugh at Edward's reaction to finding out my dad's a cop.

"Yeah, maybe you should've paid better attention at parent-teacher conferences. He could've ruined you, but… I don't think I ever would've told him — or anyone — about us."

He shakes his head, taking a long drink.

"What about you?" I ask. "Are you originally from Chicago?"

"No, I'm from Jacksonville, Illinois. It's near Springfield."

"And your dad is a doctor?"

He nods. "An orthopedic surgeon."

"Nice," I whistle. I bet he has a house as nice as Phil's, or Alice's parents. "What about your mom?"

"She managed an antiques store when I was younger."

"Do you have any siblings? That's the one thing I regret with my parents splitting up so quickly. I wish I had a brother or sister."

"A brother," he answers, running his hand through his hair. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Oh!" I exclaim in surprise. "Sure." My brow furrows a bit. There must be something not-so-great in Edward's background that he isn't up for discussing on a first date.

"I'm sorry," he says quietly, reaching out to take my hand.

"It's fine, really," I assure him. "Are you ready to keep going?"

Nodding, he stands up, grabbing our tray to dump the trash. We spend the rest of the afternoon checking out the rest of the huge zoo, until it closes at 5pm. It's really a lot of fun, and I'm glad I got to experience it for the first time with Edward. My feet are kind of killing me though. I definitely went with fashion over form in choosing shoes this morning.

"Did you, um, want to come back to my place?" he asks nervously as we walk back to his car. "It's a bit too early to grab dinner."

"Sure," I agree easily. I'm definitely not ready for this date to end.

Edward drives us to a small ranch-style home not far from the St. Louis Bread Co. where we met a few weeks ago. There's no garage, but there is a carport on the side. It looks like any one of the many 1950s ranch homes around St. Louis County.

Looking around the living room, I frown a bit. Nothing about the décor or the style of the furniture strikes me as Edward. It does look like it may have been renovated at some point though, from what I can see of the kitchen.

"I just rent. Furnished," he adds, as if he can read my mind. "The owners decided to live full time at their vacation home at Lake of the Ozarks. Have you been there?"

"No," I shake my head. "Alice and I were going to go last summer but never got around to it. How come you didn't buy a house?"

"Well, I still own a house in Chicago," he points out. "I also didn't know for sure if I'd be staying in St. Louis."

"Oh, right, you're just filling in for Dr. Maltby." He nods. "Do you know anything about next semester yet?"

"Not yet, but he's supposed to let them know one way or the other six weeks before the end of this semester. Do you want something to drink?"

I nod, taking a seat on the couch in front of the huge flat screen TV while Edward heads into the kitchen. He comes back in less than a minute with two bottles of water.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he says quietly. "I should've expected that you'd want to ask about my family when we'd just spoken about yours."

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it."

"No, I—I want to tell you. It's just difficult to find the words."

"Take all the time you need," I assure him, putting my hand on his arm.

Edward smiles as he looks over at me. "I'm five years younger than Peter," he begins. "Given the age difference, we were never especially close." He pauses, taking a deep breath. "When I was five, Peter was diagnosed with cancer."

"Oh no!" I exclaim.

"Mom quit her job to take care of him. I was in kindergarten then, so only half days. It seemed like I spent the rest of my time being dragged along with them to one doctor's appointment after another. Mom would hand me a book from the corner table and tell me to stay quiet."

"That's where you got your love of reading," I realize.

"Yeah, maybe." He gives me a small smile. "Peter died when I was seven."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Edward." I can't resist giving his hand a squeeze.

"It bothers me now, not having a sibling to talk to when things get tough." He looks at me pointedly and I realize he means talking about… us. "At the time though, all my seven-year-old brain could process was, 'Maybe they'll pay attention to _me_ now.'"

"And did they?" I ask, holding my breath.

"No. Dad threw himself into his work and Mom… she started drinking. A lot. And my parents would fight over it. A lot. They'd usually fight when I was in bed at night, thinking I couldn't hear them, but I could."

Edward grabs his water bottle off the table for a long sip, then takes a deep breath, as if steeling himself for something. And I start to get really worried about what he's going to say.

"I usually took the bus home, but one day when I was 11, Mom picked me up after school. It was Dad's 40th birthday and he had to work. He worked at a hospital in Springfield, about 20 miles to the east on the interstate. Mom had been drinking and… when she swerved to avoid something in the road, she lost control of the car and ran off the highway into a tree."

"That's how you broke your finger!" I realize, remembering his explanation for why he didn't wear a wedding ring.

He nods. "And my arm, and some ribs. I was wearing a seatbelt, but I was pretty banged up. Mom wasn't wearing one and she was thrown from the vehicle. She died," he adds quietly.

"I'm so sorry," I cry, unable to stop myself from crawling into his lap and hugging him. I understand now why he didn't want to talk about this earlier at the zoo.

Edward hugs me back tightly, then kisses the top of my head. "I'm Ok," he says quietly. "It was a long time ago."

I look up at him in disbelief. "Yes, but—"

"Really, I'm Ok," he repeats. "Dad insisted that we both get counseling after that, and we got a lot closer."

"Has he remarried?" I ask, sliding off his lap before it gets awkward.

Edward nods. "A few months before the end of my senior year, he finally married his girlfriend, Esme. They'd been dating for four years, ever since he hired her company to redecorate our house. She's great and really good for him."

"Do they still live near Springfield?"

"Yeah," he nods. "Tanya and I would visit on holidays. I guess they're maybe a bit closer to me now than when I was in Chicago."

At the mention of Tanya, I remember something else Edward said a couple of weeks ago. "You said… you and Tanya had similar experiences as children?"

He nods. "Her dad was — still is — a drunk. Unlike my mom, he's a mean, violent drunk who abused his wife and three daughters."

"So that's why she didn't want to go back to Russia," I realize. "That's really an amazing thing you did for her, you know. Even if you don't think so."

"Clearly, I'm not afraid of bending the rules when I care about someone," he says with a wry smile. "Are you hungry? Should I order pizza, or do you get enough of that as a college student?"

"I can cook, thank you very much." I punch his arm lightly in mock protest. "Pizza sounds great, but not that cracker with cheese that St. Louisans call pizza."

"Got it," he laughs, standing up. "What do you want on the pizza?"

"I like mushrooms. And sausage," I add.

"Sausage, huh?" He waggles his eyebrows, making me roll my eyes.

While Edward is calling in our order, I get up to use the bathroom. When I come out, I walk over to where Edward is standing, unable to resist touching him as I rest my hands on his waist.

"Your nose is sunburned," I smile, booping it with my finger.

"How come yours isn't? You're as pale as I am."

"My moisturizer has SPF 15 sunscreen built in," I explain.

"Your _moisturizer_?" he asks, sounding horrified. "You're 19 years old."

"And I'd like to continue to look that way, thank you very much."

Shaking his head, Edward pulls me close, kissing me softly.

"Does that bother you?" I ask hesitantly. "My age, I mean."

"No. In a lot of ways, you seem older than 19."

"Dad always said I was an old soul," I smile. "But I think… I did a lot of growing up in the last year. I'm not as naïve as I was when I fantasized about my teacher and his… sausage."

Laughing, Edward leads me over to the couch, arranging my legs over his lap. He touches just over my ankle, and I'm thankful that I shaved my legs this morning as his hand travels up my calf onto my thigh. It finally comes to a stop just below my shorts, with his thumb brushing back and forth over my inner thigh.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy?" I ask breathlessly.

"I'm rather enjoying being allowed to touch you," he smiles, making my heart melt.

"You can touch wherever you want."

Removing his hand from my thigh, Edward crooks his finger until I come closer, allowing him to pull me in for a kiss. What starts off soft and gentle quickly becomes heated when his tongue comes out to play.

Before I know it, I'm lying on my back on the couch with Edward above me. While he needs one hand to brace himself, the other is wandering from my thigh up to my chest. I moan involuntarily as he squeezes my breast.

Pulling away slightly, he looks me straight in the eye as his fingers travel down toward the top of my shorts. He flicks the button open, still staring into my eyes.

"Ok?" he whispers, and I nod furiously.

Smiling, he kisses me again while he slowly lowers the zipper on my shorts. Unfortunately, they're too tight to give his hand much room to maneuver. He's barely touched me, and I'm already a panting mess.

Changing his approach, Edward removes his hand from my shorts and places it back in my thigh. One finger makes its way under the hem, brushing between my legs where my panties are getting more damp by the second.

"Do you want me to make you come?" he whispers, and again, I nod furiously. He owes me this one from nearly a year ago. I don't care if it's technically our first date and we were trying to take it slow this time.

Smirking at my eagerness, Edward sits back, allowing himself room to tug my shorts down. He leaves my lacy panties in place, sliding his fingers underneath.

"You're wet for me, Bella," he says in the sexiest voice imaginable. I can feel my face flame in mortification. "Just close your eyes and feel."

I do as he says, concentrating on the feel of his fingers gliding along my slit. His movements are slow and deliberate, almost as if he's teasing me.

"Edward!" I cry, hoping to speed things up.

"It'll be worth the wait, I promise."

His lips capture mine again while his fingers continue their slow dance in my panties. One finger lightly circles my clit, then dips inside me. My breathing picks up as he brings me closer and closer to the edge.

"P-please," I beg. I'm so, so close.

"Open your eyes, Bella. Look at me when I make you come."

I waste no time in doing what he says, staring into his eyes as the first waves of my orgasm wash over me. I've touched myself before, but it was nothing like this. _Holy shit!_

"That's my girl," he smiles. "Ride it out."

By the time he takes his hand out of my panties, I'm panting, a light sheen of sweat covering my body. I watch wide-eyed as Edward sucks his fingers into his mouth.

"Next time I'll get that directly from the source," he winks, and my eyes bug out of my head. Oh, hell yes! I've heard plenty of good things about oral sex from fan fiction — and from Lauren back in high school.

I nearly fall off the couch when the doorbell rings. Even though I'm not visible from the front door, I hurriedly pull up my shorts as Edward scrambles to get the money he'd put out and answer the door.

Once he's paid for the pizza and closed the door, I get up from the couch, taking the pizza into the kitchen while Edward washes his hands. I dig around in his cabinets for plates, grabbing two fresh bottles of water from the fridge.

When Edward comes back, he eyes me warily. "Are you Ok with what happened?" he asks, taking a chair across from me.

I look at him like he's just sprouted a second head. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I'm still your teacher…"

"It's not like you forced me into something I didn't want to do. Or that I didn't enjoy every second."

"I really didn't mean to do that, but I got a little carried away," he chuckles.

"I'm not complaining," I assure him. "You can touch me anytime you want."

"Unfortunately, I can't. We both need to behave at school this week. But… we can go out again next weekend?"

"Asking me on a second date before this one is even over with?" I grin.

"Actually, I was thinking of today as our second date. The first was two weeks ago, even if we both just got drinks," he grins back.

"So… next week will be…"

"Our _third_ date."

* * *

 **A/N** : So finally we know a bit about Edward's past, including how he came to love literature and what he and Tanya had in common that bonded them as friends. And Bella finally got that orgasm he owed her from nearly a year earlier. Are they moving too fast again?

Next update on **Thursday**. We all know what happens on the third date!

For a teaser: One of the biggest hits of the 1980s!


	13. Chapter 12: Physical

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! I sense a bit more softening toward Edward after learning his sad history.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Olivia Newton-John went to: **2loveybunnies** , **dawnhybb** , **Midnight Cougar** , **NKubie** , **tff000** , **orion03981** , **Bevey99** , **anglictash** , **SassYNoleS** , **tawelephant** , **GorGirl** , **Debbliss** , and **That'sMzPeachesTYVM**. This song was actually the #1 song of the 1980s according to Billboard.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 12 – (Let's Get) Physical_

I've gotta hand it to Edward. He's so much better than me at being able to turn off any feelings during class. He behaves totally professionally as always, not paying me any special attention.

Since he dropped me back at my apartment on Saturday night, I've been on Cloud Nine. I'm so glad that he trusted me enough to tell me about his sad childhood, and I'm _really_ glad for that orgasm he gave me later. Sue me for being a hormonal teenager, but I'm definitely looking forward to exploring the sexual side of our relationship. And getting better acquainted with that big dick.

After a few texts back and forth, we agree to go out again the following Saturday, after I come back from brunch at IHoP with Jake, Alice, and her new boyfriend, Jasper. The weather is even warmer than last weekend, so I'm curious as to what Edward has planned.

"You do this to me on purpose," he groans as I get settled in his car.

"It's supposed to be 90 degrees!" I protest. I can't help smiling at how much he likes my legs though. "So what are we doing today?"

"I thought we could go for a drive, see some of the Fall colors. Mid-October is supposed to be the peak."

"Sounds great," I agree. After crossing the Missouri River on the interstate, we turn off onto Highway 94. At first it's mostly just suburbia, but then it morphs into a gorgeous drive, following along the river bluffs.

After a couple of hours, we arrive in the town of Hermann, which is known for having several different vineyards. A number of German immigrants settled the fertile land 150 years ago and began growing grapes for wine.

Hand in hand, Edward and I walk along the Missouri River, which runs just north of the town.

"Did you want to stop at one of the wineries?" I suggest. "I think most of them offer tours and tastings."

He totally gives me the side eye. "You aren't old enough to drink."

"I… might have a fake ID," I confess, making Edward laugh.

"Where'd you get that?"

"It's pretty easy for high school students. Jake knew a guy. Anyway, I've only used it once, mostly just to make sure it'd work. I really don't drink that much," I stress, now that I understand his issue with alcohol. "I've never actually had wine before, but I'm interested in trying it now that we're here."

"I rarely drink," he confesses. "Usually it's just in social situations. I could do a tasting though."

The first winery we find along the river bank offers free cellar tours and tastings for $4. I'm surprised that they don't even ask to see my ID before pouring the samples, but the woman serving probably assumes I'm older since I'm with a man who looks older than 21.

"What do you think?" Edward asks, eyeing me carefully.

"Not a fan of the red ones," I admit. "It's weird that they're not cold."

The server totally laughs at me along with Edward.

As we walk back through town, I pull out my phone and find that the tour offered by the largest winery is rated the top thing to do in town. I suggest it to Edward and he agrees.

After our free tour, there's a $5 charge for six tasting samples. This time they do ask for my ID, though they only glance at it.

The verdict: I still don't like red wine. Some of the sweeter white or rosé ones aren't bad though.

"There's a restaurant here if you want to get dinner," Edward suggests. "It's probably wiser if we dine out away from St. Louis when we can."

"All right," I agree, though the idea makes me sad. Even if it's only this semester when our relationship is prohibited by the school, we'll still need to be discreet until I graduate. I almost hope that Dr. Maltby comes back in January, though of course, I'd want Edward to find another position in town.

The restaurant on the grounds of the vineyard specializes in German cuisine. Edward and I split an appetizer of traditional potato pancakes before deciding on our entrees.

"What are you grinning about?" he asks, sipping his water.

"Just… this," I shrug. "I feel like a real live adult, on a date at a nice restaurant."

Edward chuckles, shaking his head. "You haven't been on a date before?"

"Well, no," I admit sheepishly. "I'd grown up around the guys at Lincoln Park, so it was just weird. And once I transferred, I didn't see the point of getting involved with someone when we'd go our separate ways after graduation."

He smiles. "That reminds me — how did you end up at UMSL anyway? I was so sure I'd heard you were planning to go to U of I."

"Well, since my dad was only making a cop's salary, I knew I'd have to stick to state schools. U of I was always my first choice, but I applied to all of the public schools in Illinois, along with UMSL. Just on a whim, really, because Mom was living nearby.

"Alice and Jake were already planning to go to UMSL when I met them, and when she found out I'd applied, she started trying to convince me to come with them. Alice's dad is a doctor, so she could afford to go anywhere, but Jake couldn't," I explain. "They've been best friends for years."

"I always assumed you'd study English."

"Me too," I laugh. "Alice and I did a campus tour, and as I talked to some of the advisors, I decided that Communications would give me a more broad background when it comes to finding a job after graduation. English is my minor though," I add.

"Well, that's something, at least," he smiles.

"Alice always says I can be her speechwriter once she's a famous politician," I laugh. "She's a Political Science major. And she was Senior Class President at Lafayette. I wish you could get to know my friends, and vice versa."

"They don't know about me?"

"No," I shake my head. "Alice asked me who you were after she saw us talking on my birthday, but I just said your name was Edward and that I'd met you in one of my classes. I feel bad not being honest with them, but…"

"It's safer to keep this between us," he agrees. "Maybe in January you can tell them, once you're no longer my student."

I smile, nodding, as our entrees are delivered.

After sharing a piece of apple strudel for dessert, Edward and I get back on the road, heading home on the interstate since it's so much faster. It's getting dark, so there isn't much to see anyway.

"Do you want to come back to my place?" Edward asks as we cross the bridge back into St. Louis County.

"That sounds great," I agree, excited for more alone time with him. Despite what he said last week, I don't know if he actually intends for us to have sex tonight. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to the idea…

Once we've arrived at Edward's house, we step inside and he turns on the light, looking at me almost nervously. "Do you want to watch a movie?" he suggests. "I've got Netflix."

"Not really," I admit.

"Do you like sports? I bet there's a baseball playoff game on TV."

I shake my head, stepping closer then winding my arms around his neck. "I was kind of hoping to get to know you better."

"Isn't that what we've been doing?" he asks, a grin beginning to appear on his face.

In answer, I get up on my tiptoes, pressing my lips against his. He kisses me back without hesitation, his hands going straight for my ass.

"Do you want to check out my bedroom?" he whispers against my lips.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Grinning, Edward picks me up, carrying me bridal style down the hallway toward the bedrooms. I yelp when he tosses me onto the unmade bed. He turns on the overhead light, using the dimmer to set just the right mood.

Crawling over me, he smiles as he looks down at me. "We can do whatever you want, you know. We don't need to have sex."

"I know." I really think I want to though. What's the point in waiting? It's not like I'm some blushing virgin… thanks to him.

"Tell me what you want and you can have it," he says, leaning down to kiss me softly.

"I want… you to take your shirt off," I grin. So far, Edward has remained nearly fully clothed around me.

Without hesitation, he lifts up to his knees, pulling his polo shirt over his head. I admire his toned torso for a moment, then my brow furrows at the long scar along his right side.

I reach out, softly brushing my finger over the scar. "Is that from the car accident, too?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah. Told you I was banged up," he shrugs.

Edward lowers his weight on top of me, sucking gently on my bottom lip. I kiss him back, and we trade deepening kisses for what seems like hours. My hands get a chance to explore his muscular back, while he pulls and tugs at my nipples through my shirt.

"Can I take this off?" he asks, his hand poised on the bottom hem of my top.

"Yes," I reply breathlessly.

I raise my arms so that he can pull it off, staring into his eyes as he reaches beneath me to unhook my bra. I have to fight the urge to cover myself as he slowly removes my bra. While he's touched my breasts before, he's never _seen_ them, and I hope he likes what he sees.

"You're beautiful, Bella." How did he know just what I needed to hear?

Reaching out, he slowly circles one nipple with his finger until it's stiff and wanting. My breathing picks up as he does the same to the other, as I wonder what exactly is coming next.

I swallow thickly as he tongue darts out, lapping at my nipple before he sucks it into his mouth. Pulling back slightly, he blows on it, making it even harder. As Edward continues to lavish attention on my breasts, I can feel this… yearning between my legs. I want him.

"Edward," I beg shamelessly.

"You're very impatient, do you know that?" he grins, dropping a quick kiss on my lips.

"I want to see all of you."

Smiling, he opens the button on his khaki shorts, then tugs the zipper down. As he pulls his pants and underwear down, I can't help the way my eyes widen as his dick is revealed. I mean, I saw it before, pulled through the hole in his boxers, but to see it in all of its glory…!

"Do you want to touch it?" he asks with a chuckle, and I eagerly scramble up to my knees, wrapping one hand around his dick.

"My hand barely goes all the way around it," I marvel as I slowly jack him off. "That really fit inside me?"

"Indeed it did," he laughs. "Lie back again."

I do as he says, biting my lip as he opens my shorts and begins to tug them down along with my panties.

Edward spreads my legs and I remind myself that he's seen me before, albeit from another angle. I nearly buck off the bed when one long finger slowly pushes inside me.

"You're in for a treat now, baby," he promises.

I hold my breath as he leans down, licking up my slit. "Oh god," I whimper.

The combination of his lips and tongue, plus his finger moving in and out of my entrance, has me on the edge in record time. He's clearly done this before, and I have to stop the irrational jealousy of Tanya that washes over me.

She may technically be his wife, but I'm the one in his bed.

As the pressure builds, I instinctively try to close my legs, but he won't let me. His tongue moves faster and faster, and suddenly I'm screaming out in pleasure.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," I chant as he slowly brings me down. When he finally stops and looks up at me, he has a shit-eating grin on his face.

"I take it you liked that," he laughs, and I reach out to slap his arm. "We can stop if you want…"

"I don't want," I state plainly.

Smiling, Edward slowly climbs up my body, kneeling between my legs. He takes his cock in his hand and rubs it along my slit. I bite my lip, expecting the intrusion of the Biggest Dick Ever at any moment.

"I suppose I should be smarter than the first time and double check whether or not I should find a condom."

"I've been on the Pill for almost four years," I confirm. "Otherwise I had horrible cramps and stuff every month."

"Ok. Prop yourself up on your elbows."

Confused, I do as he says.

"Now watch — watch how your body accepts me."

I watch wide-eyed as his massive appendage begins to disappear inside me. It's still a little uncomfortable, but nothing like our first time.

"Wrap your legs around me," he says in a strained voice, and I quickly do as he says, amazed when his dick slides in even deeper.

"Holy shit," I pant, dropping back down onto the bed. I can feel him pulling nearly all the way out before he pushes in again — hard. "Ah!" I yelp in surprise.

"Hang on tight, baby."

Before I can process what that means, his dick is sliding in and out, his pace quickening with each thrust.

"Ohhhh…" I moan, glad that I don't have to keep quiet this time.

"Fuck, you feel amazing," he grunts.

Edward brings his right hand up to massage my breast, gazing into my eyes, and I realize how much I missed that the first time when he was behind me.

"Can I kiss you?" he asks.

I nod, confused as to why he'd even ask. Once his lips are on mine, I understand: his tongue still tastes faintly like what I realize is _me_.

"Come on, baby," he begs, dragging his lips along my neck. "Let me feel you come on my cock."

My eyes widen at his dirty talk, just as I feel his finger drawing circles between my legs. It's all too much, and I come with a scream.

"That's it!" His thrusts speed up even more until they become erratic, which I assume means he's close. Suddenly, he freezes deep inside me with a loud grunt.

I'm still catching my breath when I feel him slipping out of me. He touches between my legs and I jump, still so sensitive.

"How are you doing?" he asks softly.

"I don't think I can move," I answer honestly, making him laugh.

"Hold tight then."

Edward climbs out of bed, disappearing into what I assume is the bathroom. He's back less than a minute later, a damp washcloth in his hand. I hiss a little as he cleans up his mess between my legs, then tosses the washcloth to the end of the bed.

He crawls up beside me, then turns me onto my side, my back to him, and wraps his arms around me. I can feel his heart beating just as madly as my own.

Edward places a soft kiss beneath my ear, and I shudder. I love the feeling of being in his arms like this, so I close my eyes, completely content.

* * *

 **A/N** : This date should hopefully worry you all less, since they drove two hours west of St. Louis to where they were unlikely to run into anyone. And then they came home for a little Netflix and chill… minus the Netflix. Bella is very excited to get up close and personal with the BDE.

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: The title is a song by a legendary male singer and relates to their next date at a hockey game. I really hated this song for some reason.


	14. Chapter 13: I Guess That's Why They Call

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! Some of you are expecting them to get caught, and some of you want to see them get caught!

I stumped everyone with this chapter's title by Elton John. Maybe everyone hated the song… or no one knew that the St. Louis hockey team is called the Blues.

I'm usually an 80s gal, but I went to the Eagles concert last night!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 13 – I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues_

"Bella!"

My eyes slowly open when I hear Edward calling my name.

"Someone has been texting you for the last half hour."

He hands me my phone and I turn it on, reading through the increasingly panicked messages from Alice. I quickly type out a text to let her know I'll be home soon.

"Alice was worried," I explain. "What time is it?"

"Eleven. Come on, get dressed and I'll take you home."

Gathering up my clothes, I carry them into the bathroom since I need to pee. I put my clothes back on, then finger-comb the rat's nest in my air.

When I come out, Edward is dressed as well. His hand on my back, he leads me back to the foyer and out toward his car.

"I am going to have such fun explaining this," I fret.

He laughs. "You can tell her you have a boyfriend."

"She'll want to meet you."

"Well… I don't envy you the task of explaining that one… Hey!" he yelps when I reach over and slap his arm.

"It's not fair that we're keeping this quiet for _you_ , but I'm the one who has to lie to her friends," I pout. I knew what I was getting into though, so I can't really complain.

"I'm sorry," he says softly. "It's just… I could be in a lot of trouble if word gets out about us."

"I know, and I certainly don't want to cause you any trouble."

Edward drops me right near my apartment; it's dark, so I doubt anyone will see him dropping me off. We agree to do something together next weekend, and then I march inside to face the firing squad.

"Isabella Swan, where the hell have you been?" Alice asks before I'm even completely through the door.

"Chill, Alice, I was on a date."

"Until 11 o'clock at night?"

I shrug.

"Why didn't you answer my texts? Was your phone off?"

"I—we—I fell asleep," I admit.

"Did you have sex with him?" she asks, eyes wide.

I walk over to join my friends in the living room, taking a seat on the loveseat since Jake is taking up far more than his fair share of the couch.

"Yes," I admit, holding my breath as I wait for their responses.

"Way to go!" Jake yells, reaching over to high-five me.

"So who is this guy? Why haven't we met him?" Alice asks, sounding a bit like a parent.

"You-you have met him," I begin, really hoping that telling them some sort of truth isn't the wrong way to handle this.

"We have? _Who?_ " she asks.

"Edward — the guy I was talking to at my birthday party."

"The guy who slammed James into the wall?" Jake asks excitedly. "I approve then."

"Yes, him," I admit, really hoping that neither one has learned in the last month that he's a teacher and not just an older student.

"He was kinda old, wasn't he?" Alice asks. "Well, I guess you've got a thing for older men. He was hot though, I'll give you that."

"He was," Jake agrees. "So when can we meet him for real?"

"I… I don't know," I admit.

"What do you mean, you don't know? You've met Jasper."

"He… he is older, you're right." I realize then that I don't actually know for sure how old Edward is. "And… I think… he wouldn't really be comfortable with a bunch of freshman."

"Yet he's dating you," Alice says, eyes narrowed.

I shrug helplessly. It was a dumb excuse, but it was the best I could come up with. "I'll work on him," I promise.

"So what was it like?" she asks, eyes wide. "Jasper and I haven't done the deed yet, but… I think it'll be soon. I really think he's the one," she adds for the umpteenth time.

"It was amazing!" I gush. "I-I guess that's the benefit of dating an older man: he knows what he's doing in bed."

"Just be careful, all right?" Alice says. "I'd hate to see him taking advantage of you."

"He's not," I assure them.

"So what else did you guys do today?" Jake asks.

"We drove out to Hermann on Highway 94 so we could see the Fall colors. It was really romantic," I sigh. "I got to use my fake ID to do a wine tasting with him, and then we had dinner at one of the wineries."

"Stop! You guys are making me so jealous that I'm the only one in this apartment with no boyfriend," Jake pouts, getting up and walking into the kitchen.

"Sorry, Jake!" I laugh. "I'm gonna head to bed. See you guys in the morning."

* * *

I spend much of Wednesday's class daydreaming of Saturday night. I'm pathetic. Edward, of course, is totally cool.

"Ms. Swan," he calls me once class is over. I wait for a couple slow students to leave, then walk toward where he's waiting for me by his desk.

"I managed to score Blues-Blackhawks tickets for tonight from someone who couldn't use them. Would you like to go with me?"

"What sport is that again?"

"Hockey!" he exclaims, shaking his head. "How could you grow up with your father and not know that?"

"Dad likes baseball — the Cubs," I explain.

"The Blackhawks are Chicago's team, so it's a huge rivalry in both cities. It should be a great game."

"Well, all right," I agree. "I don't have to study or anything tonight."

"Awesome," he smiles. "The game starts at seven. I'll pick you up around six, Ok?"

"I look forward to it," I smile, walking out of the room before I do something stupid.

* * *

"You're gonna root for the Blues, right?" Jake demands when he finds out where I'm going tonight. "You're not rooting for the Blackhawks just because you grew up in Chicago."

I shrug. "I didn't follow the Blackhawks when I lived in Chicago."

"You need a Blues jersey to wear, but mine'll be too big on you."

"Duh!"

"Maybe Alice has one," he suggests.

"Alice isn't home."

"So? We'll go look in her closet, come on!" Jake motions for me to follow him, and I do, though I feel weird about it. Alice is always offering that I can borrow her clothes though. Of course, I'm about one pants size and two cup sizes larger than her, so I can't wear much. A jersey would probably work though.

"Here it is," Jake announces, pulling out a light blue jersey.

"Tarasenko," I read the name on the back.

He nods. "Vladimir Tarasenko. He's one of our top scoring players."

"He sounds Russian." I try not to frown.

"He is," Jake confirms. Ugh, like I need the reminder of Edward's Russian wife.

I shrug the jersey over my head and Jake gives me the thumbs up.

Edward sent me a text this afternoon to tell me we could get food at the game, but I still help Jake make something for dinner before it's time to leave. Unlike Alice, he's showing some aptitude for cooking.

"See ya, Jake!" I call just before six, heading outside to meet Edward. The weather is still nice, so I don't bother throwing a jacket on over my jersey.

"A Blues jersey?" Edward laughs as I open the car door.

"It's Alice's. Jake insisted," I explain. "I think he'll refuse to talk to me again if I cheer for the Blackhawks. Which side are you on?"

"Since I grew up closer to St. Louis than Chicago, we usually paid more attention to the Blues, but I've been in Chicago for 10 years, so…" he shrugs. "I think I'm Team Switzerland."

We decide to drive to the large park'n'ride lot at North Hanley and take the Metrolink to the game, rather than trying to find parking in downtown St. Louis. The light rail is much more limited than the Chicago 'L' but it does cross the UMSL campus and go downtown. Hopefully no one who knows Edward as Professor Cullen is getting on the train at either of the campus stops. I assume he's considered that possibility already.

Once we've arrived at our station, we exit the train along with nearly everyone else. From there, it's just a short walk to the Scottrade Center.

Inside, there are a number of people buzzing around. Edward declares he wants a Philly cheesesteak, so I decide to pick something from the same concession stand rather than looking elsewhere. I debate getting a fried chicken sandwich before deciding on a pretzel dog.

We find our seats, and I try to figure out best way to eat my dinner without making a mess — it's much larger than I expected it to be.

"Good practice for my monster cock, huh?" Edward whispers in my ear once I've taken a couple of large bites.

"You're not funny."

He laughs. "You're the one who calls it that."

Yes, I do. But now he's got me wondering… does he expect a blowjob? I mean, he went down on me in spectacular fashion last Saturday. And it's not that I don't want to try it, though I'm a bit worried that I'll be awful and gag or something.

Since my dad pretty much just sticks to baseball and to a lesser extent, football, I'm pretty much clueless once the game starts, but Edward doesn't seem to mind explaining it to me. I guess it's the teacher in him.

The Blues end up winning 5-2, and I even get to cheer for the guy on my borrowed jersey when he scores a goal in the second period. It's actually a fun time, and not just because I've had Edward's arm around me for most of the game.

We walk hand in hand back to the Metrolink station. Of course, a ton of people are already waiting on the platform for the next westbound train. When it finally comes, we manage to get on the train, but not get a seat. I don't really care though, since I've been sitting for the last three hours.

It's also a great opportunity for me to stand close to Edward. He wraps his arms around my waist, while mine are around his neck. We're pressed as tightly together as we can be.

"This is nice," he says, bending down to kiss me. I kiss him back, though I'm conscious of not being too disgusting to those around us. I remember how I felt about hallway PDAs.

"I suppose I need to take you straight home, right?"

"I'm afraid so. I have class in the morning."

"So do I," he laughs. "At 9:30."

"I should be free at least part of this weekend though. Alice wants to do something together Saturday afternoon."

"So we'll go out Saturday night," he agrees. "I probably need to spend most of the weekend grading anyway."

"Not my class!" I exclaim, suddenly worried that we have a test or paper due on Friday that I've forgotten.

"No," he assures me. "I teach two junior-level writing courses."

The train finally reaches the North Hanley stop, where nearly everyone gets off; the only stations further west are at the airport. It's a fairly quick drive to my apartment from the station.

"Thanks for inviting me to the game. I had fun," I smile.

"Me too." Edward crooks his finger and I lean closer for a kiss. "See you Friday."

* * *

"Where exactly are we going, Alice?" I ask as she drives us to a secret destination after lunch on Saturday. She told me to wear leggings today, which was an odd request.

"You'll find out soon enough!"

We eventually pull into a strip mall parking lot, though I still don't know what we're doing here. I follow Alice up a number of stairs, and then she opens the door to a day spa!

"We're at a spa?" I ask, confused.

"I think… this weekend might be the one with Jasper," she confesses. "So I wanted to get one of their body treatments to have super-soft skin. And, you know, a fresh Brazilian."

"And I'm here for moral support?" I ask hopefully.

"No," she laughs. "I got you the same package."

Narrowing my eyes, I follow her to the counter to check in. The body treatment sounds nice, but I'm not so sure about the Brazilian. I mean, obviously I keep things well-manicured, but that seems like a really sensitive area to rip out all of the hairs by the roots. I know millions of women do it though.

Alice and I are sent to a locker room to change into robes. There is only one wet room so we agree that I'll do the body treatment first while she gets her waxing done. She'll then wait in the sauna if I'm not quite finished.

The body treatment is _amazing_! I feel so relaxed and my skin is silky smooth. Edward is going to love it, I hope. He'll probably also like the Brazilian wax, though my aesthetician can totally tell that I'm nervous as she gets me into position.

 _Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!_

Jesus Christ, I am never going through that again, despite her assurances that the first time is the worst. I'm not sure I'll be letting Edward in my pants tonight.

"I hate you," I grumble at Alice when I meet her in the locker room.

"Oh relax," she chuckles. "Mine doesn't even hurt anymore."

I totally give her the evil eye as we walk out, but she does insist that this afternoon was her treat, so I reluctantly thank her. I'm also glad for the leggings suggestion instead of tighter jeans.

Alice was right, I begrudgingly admit — I'm not in any pain by the time I need to start getting ready for my date. I decide to stick with the leggings and just choose a nicer tunic top to wear over it. After fixing my hair and make-up, I find Alice fretting over her appearance in the mirror.

"You look great, Al."

She smiles at me. "I'm totally nervous," she confesses.

"Don't do it if you don't feel ready," I caution her. "Jasper will understand if he's as great as you say he is."

"I know. And I _am_ ready. Be honest with me — how much is it gonna hurt?"

"I think it depends on Jasper's technique. And size," I add. "Bigger is _not_ better your first time."

Alice demonstrates Jasper's size with her hands. "That… seems like it'll be Ok," I assure her. What she's describing seems only slightly above average to me… based on my sample of one, ha.

"Your guy was bigger than that?" she asks, eyes wide. I do my own demonstration and they widen even further. "Holy shit! It's a wonder he didn't rip you in half."

"Tell me about it," I mutter. After a last hug, I head outside to look for Edward's car.

* * *

 **A/N** : So Bella had to face the music and at least tell her friends she has a serious boyfriend. She and Edward had a non-sexual date, and then she and Alice got pampered for their men. We will meet Jasper at some point.

Next update on **Thursday**. What does Edward have planned for their date?

For a teaser: A sexy, rockin' hair band Top 5 hit from the late 80s.

* * *

Thank you to everyone who helped vote "Lonely in Your Nightmare" as second place for Favorite Empire Records in the Twific Fandom Awards!


	15. Chapter 14: Pour Some Sugar on Me

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! Lots of opinions on waxing lol.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Def Leppard went to: **sherylb** , **megsie1977** , **KDMCAM** , **Mom23xx** , and **k8ln713**. Lots of Poison and Bon Jovi guesses!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 14 – Pour Some Sugar on Me_

"Hey, you," Edward smiles at me, leaning in for a kiss as soon as I'm settled in the passenger seat of his Volvo. Our kiss continues until the car behind us toots its horn for us to move.

"So what's the plan?" I ask as we pull onto the road.

"I thought maybe we could go to Dave & Buster's and play some games after dinner?" he suggests.

"Oh, that sounds like fun! I went to the one up in Chicago for an 18th birthday party last year. You know, I think there's something similar at Westport that I heard some people talking about."

"I've heard about that one, too," he nods. "I looked into it, and their website said no one under 21 after 4pm. We can go some afternoon though, maybe."

"I can just use my fake ID again," I shrug.

"I don't think you should use that too much around here," he cautions. "At least not while I'm your teacher and contributing to your delinquency, all right?"

"Fine," I laugh. To be honest, I'm a little bit surprised that he'd be willing to go out to dinner in St. Louis County at all, though I think Dave & Buster's is just this side of the river, maybe 10-15 miles from campus.

* * *

Once we've finished our entrees in the restaurant part of Dave & Buster's, Edward and I order chocolate fondue to split for dessert. We may have a bit too much fun feeding each other the strawberries, marshmallows and bits of pound cake, but I'm having such a good time I don't care if others around us are offended.

After taking care of the check, Edward buys power cards for us, and we move to the huge back room full of different arcade-style games. I've heard they even have some vintage games from back when my dad was a kid in the 80s.

"So what do you want to play first?" I ask.

"I like the car games. Race you!"

"You're on, Cullen," I growl.

Edward and I find the row of racing cars, waiting until the next race starts and two slots open up. We're competing against several other people, but all I want to do is beat him.

I manage to finish ahead of him in the first game, so he demands best two out of three… and beats me in the next two games. Damn it!

Walking around, we spot a vintage Centipede machine. "I can't believe this still works with the track ball," I laugh, brushing my fingers over it. I've never played it before, but Edward has, and he beats me handily.

"No fair, old man!" I tease him.

"It's not like those were common when I was a teenager though," he laughs.

"How old _are_ you, anyway?"

"I'm 28," he answers. "Does that bother you?"

"No," I reply honestly.

Our attention is drawn to a young man shooting baskets at one of the Super Shot games. He looks even younger than me, but he's very, very good. I wonder if he plans to play college basketball. Edward and I make our way over there to join the small crowd that's gathering. He stands behind me, his arms around me, and I couldn't be more content.

Once the young man has finished, everyone applauds, and I turn around in Edward's arms. "I'd like to see you try that," I propose.

"Ha! Yeah, I might make a couple baskets."

"Maybe we should make a bet on it," I grin. I'm actually pretty decent at shooting baskets… from one specific spot.

"And the loser has to do… what?"

"How about… the winner gets to choose our Halloween costumes for next weekend?" I suggest with a grin.

"We're getting Halloween costumes?" he chuckles.

"Yes! I love dressing up as literary characters."

"We can't exactly go to a campus Halloween party together, Bella," he says gently, pulling me close and brushing his hand through my hair. "I'm sorry."

Edward kisses me to ease the sting of his words, and I forget my disappointment, kissing him back hungrily.

Pulling away, I lick my lips. "You still taste like chocolate."

"So do you," he smiles. "Come on, let's try to shoot some hoops."

Despite my bravado, I can't manage to beat him. It's still fun though. I do beat him at the Ghostbusters game, shooting ping-pong balls at "ghosts." The Big Bass Wheel, which looks like the wheel on _Price is Right_ , is a lot of fun, too.

After a couple of hours wandering around the arcade, Edward cashes out our tickets, getting me a huge stuffed animal. It's cheesy as hell but I love it, walking outside with a dopey grin on my face.

Edward's house isn't that far from Dave & Buster's, so I'm not surprised when he heads there without asking me. Inside, he grabs us two bottles of water, flopping onto the couch.

"I'm beat," he moans. "I spent all afternoon working in my yard. I'm getting too old for this."

Instead of sitting beside him, I straddle his lap, smiling at the grin on his face. "Are you too old for this, too?" I tease, trailing my fingers down his stomach.

"Definitely not… but I might have to let you take the lead tonight."

"T-take the lead?"

He nods. "I'm yours. Do what you will with me."

My heartrate speeds up as I consider the possibilities. I'm not sure what I'll do, but I think it should start with taking his clothes off. I reach for the bottom of his shirt and he obediently lifts his arms so I can pull it over his head.

Placing my hands on Edward's shoulders, I slowly drag them down his chest, pausing to circle his nipples, just in case it feels half as good to him as it does to me. When I've reached the top of his pants, I slide down to the floor, spreading his legs. Leaning forward, I kiss along the scar on his right side.

"Surgery?" I ask curiously. It looks like a fairly straight line.

"Yeah," he nods. "I was bleeding internally. One of my broken ribs was poking things it shouldn't have been."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugs. "It healed after a couple months; so did my arm. My finger was never quite the same again though."

Grasping his left hand, I suck his slightly mangled ring finger in my mouth… maybe practicing my technique for later.

"Fuck, Bella, you're getting my dick a little excited."

"Do you have a name for him?" I ask with a grin, noticing that there is indeed a rising tent in his jeans.

"A name?"

I nod. "Like… Little Edward. Though he's not so little."

"No," he chuckles. "You can name it if you want."

"I kinda already have," I admit, and he raises an eyebrow. "I've been referring to him as the Biggest Dick Ever — BDE for short."

"If you really believe that, you need to watch more porn," he laughs. "Are you planning to take my pants off or just tease me with your mouth so close?"

In answer, I pop open the button on his pants, then slide the zipper down really slowly. And the BDE immediately tries to make an appearance.

"Help me take them off?" I request.

Edward stands up, spreads the blanket from the back of the couch across the cushions, then tugs his pants and underwear down. Once he's sat down again, I finish the job by removing them.

And then stare at his dick. It's pointing straight up, its full intimidating size just a foot from my face. I've read blowjob scenes in fan fiction, of course, but I know that reading isn't the same as _doing_.

I decide to start with my hand, since I've done that before, sliding it up and down a few times. I swear the BDE is winking at me, just daring me to take a taste.

"I wish we had more of that chocolate from our fondue."

Edward bursts out laughing, until I slap his thigh to shut him up. "I think there might be a jar of some kind of sundae topping in the pantry," he says.

Getting to my feet, I walk into the kitchen then open the pantry door. It takes a minute, but I eventually find a jar of chocolate sauce. I open the jar, then stick my finger in to make sure it's liquid enough to use. Grabbing a couple paper towels, I run them under the faucet briefly for later clean-up.

Edward eyes me warily when I return, but it was half his idea, so I know he doesn't really mind. I set the paper towels on the blanket, then pour a little bit of the chocolate sauce over the head of his dick. Grasping it in my hand, I lean forward and take small licks along the head until it's clean. That wasn't so bad.

Next, I drizzle more of the chocolate sauce along the entire shaft, with a little extra on the head. I lick from base to tip, then suck the head into my mouth, swirling my tongue all around. Edward lets out a low moan, so I know I must be doing it right.

Adding a little more chocolate to the head, I slide as much as I comfortably can into my mouth, then pull back to just the head, using my hand on the rest. Curious, I tongue the slit, then suck in as much as I can again.

Pulling my mouth off with a pop, I look up at Edward. "Is-is that Ok? I can't fit all of that monster in my mouth."

"Mmmm… do you know how hard you're making it to stay still?" he asks. I think it's a rhetorical question. "Can I see you now?"

Still on my knees, I pull my shirt over my head while Edward uses the paper towels to clean off any chocolate I missed. Looking him right in the eye, I unhook my bra, letting it drop to the floor.

"Come up here," he whispers, and I quickly climb into his lap, moaning as he sucks my left nipple into his mouth. "These are pretty fucking spectacular," he growls, holding up the weight of my breasts in his hands.

I shrug, though I know they're young and perky. "Only C cups."

"More than a mouthful is a waste." And he proves his point by sucking nearly my entire right breast into his mouth.

When I feel Edward's hands slide beneath the top of my leggings, I quickly get to my feet and pull them off. Trying hard to control my grin, I grasp both sides of my panties and begun pushing them down. I bite my lip when I notice him staring at my newly waxed pussy. I hope that means he likes it.

"Get. Over. Here."

As soon as I'm back on his lap, his hand is between my legs, sliding effortlessly over the smooth skin.

"What on earth possessed you to do that?" he asks in a rough voice.

"Alice," I admit. "She made appointments for both of us."

"Thank her for me."

I start to giggle, but then he slides two fingers inside me and I moan at the feeling. He kisses me while they circle and tease, making me wetter and wetter.

"Slide down on me, Bella," he whispers against my mouth.

 _Fuck!_ He wants _me_ to be on top? I tentatively take his dick in my hand, positioning it at my entrance, and then biting my lip, begin to lower myself.

"You can do it," he encourages when I pause only an inch or so in. Easy for him to say! I actually think it's more difficult to do it slowly, so I finally say fuck it and just lower myself as far as I can go.

"Fuck," he groans, and I can't help smiling at the way I can affect him. The first time Edward and I had sex, he seemed so in control, though maybe that was just because I couldn't see him.

After taking a moment to adjust, I lift myself up then start moving up and down. Edward grabs hold of my ass, helping me to move while he sucks at my neck.

"Oh!" I yell out when he thrusts up at meet my downward movement.

"Do you know how badly I wanted you to ride me like this in my chair?"

"In-in Chicago?" I ask in confusion. His fingers circling my clit have made my brain foggy.

"Yes, in Chicago. God, I'd sit there while you guys were taking tests, imagining having you on my lap."

"You're a dirty man… Professor Cullen," I whisper the last bit in his ear.

"Sue me for having a hard-on for my favorite student."

Grasping the back of my neck, he pulls me in, claiming my lips in a heated kiss while he thrusts up again and again.

"Oh… oh… oh god…" I moan loudly as my climax crashes over me. Edward never stops his punishing pace until finally he freezes, buried balls deep inside me.

Breathing heavily, I rest my forehead on his shoulder, shivering as he runs his hands through my hair. I can actually feel his dick softening inside me.

"Do you ever plan on moving?" he finally chuckles.

"I feel like my legs are gonna be jelly."

"Lift up," he directs, picking up the paper towels from earlier so that he can clean up the mess dripping out of me. I somehow manage to sit on the couch beside him.

"I think I need a shower," he laughs, standing up. I'm kind of in awe of the way his flaccid dick bounces. "You coming?" He waggles his eyebrows.

"I'll pass." Not sure my pussy could take another round right about now.

"I'll take you home as soon as I'm done, all right?" he says, leaning down to kiss me on his way to the bedroom.

As soon as he's gone, I force myself to my feet, using the hall bathroom. After putting my clothes back on, I find the brush I keep in my purse and try to fix my hair. I rub off the smudged make-up under my eyes, then turn around to look at myself from all angles in the mirror. I'll never hear the end of it when I get home if I look freshly fucked.

* * *

 **A/N** : Or pour some chocolate, as the case may be! Both Edward and Bella enjoyed the benefits of her earlier waxing.

My company did a networking event at Dave & Buster's several years ago and all of the guys went straight for the car games.

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: I'll even give you the artist this time — Madonna. The hint for the song is in the first part of this chapter. (Only 1980s songs.)


	16. Chapter 15: Dress You Up

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! Many are still expecting the other shoe to drop at some point.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Madonna went to: **Angellovee** , **Faerywren** , **NKubie** , **Midnight Cougar** , **Don't trust your eyes** , **Bikergirl08** , **Azlady2003** , **Taylor9901** , **dawnhybb** , **MsAndreaRenee** , **tff000** , and **orion03981**. I also gave teasers to those who guessed _Holiday_ or _Where's the Party?_ since those readers also picked up on the right clue!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 15 – Dress You Up_

 **Do you still have your Halloween costume from last year?**

 _Yes_ , I text back.

 **Good. Wear it Saturday night. I think I've found a Halloween party we can attend in South County. You'll need your fake ID.**

I'm so excited, I squeal out loud.

Jake looks up at me from his homework. "Sexting?"

"NO! Edward and I are gonna go to a Halloween party on Saturday."

"The campus party?"

"A different one, sorry," I shake my head. I know Alice and Jake wanted me to go with them.

"Why the excitement then?" he asks, coming to sit beside me.

"He thought he was gonna be too busy this weekend," I lie. "I just love dressing up every year. It's like… I can become a character from one of my favorite books. Are you going to the campus party?

"Yeah," he nods. "I'd been wanting to go back to Fright Fest, but now that Fall weather has finally arrived, I'll pass."

"What are you dressing up as?"

Jake shrugs. "Same as the last three years."

"Which is?"

"Andre the Giant — the wrestler," he grins. "I've got an awesome wig."

I shake my head, laughing.

* * *

I'm so excited to see Edward's Jay Gatsby costume. I mean, I know it's more or less a classic suit, but I bet he looks hella sexy in a suit.

After putting the finishing touches on my make-up, I peruse my shoe collection. The silver heels from my mom's wedding would look great with this dress. On the other hand, I may be on my feet for several hours. But on the first hand, heels make your ass look good.

Heels it is.

"Look at you," Alice whistles when I step out of my bedroom. "Edward is gonna die when he sees you."

I smile widely. Little does she know the effect this dress has already had on him.

"You look great, too. But… who are you?" It's some sort of period costume, but I don't want to offend by guessing incorrectly.

"Jasper is a big Civil War buff, so we're doing _Gone with the Wind_. I'm Scarlett O'Hara," she smiles.

Just then, a half-naked Jake steps out of his bedroom in a short, curly wig. It looks like he borrowed a uniform from the school's wrestling team.

"What do you think?" he asks, flexing his muscles.

"Oh, Jake!" Alice exclaims, pretending to fall at his feet. All three of us dissolve in a fit of giggles.

"I'll see you guys in the morning," I laugh, grabbing my purse. "I might spend the night at Edward's." The Halloween party we're attending features a live band that's playing until 1am, so if we go back to his place afterward, I'm not going out again once he's had his way with me.

"I still wish you were coming to the campus party," Alice pouts.

"I know, but he didn't want to go to that one. I'll miss you guys." With a final wave, I'm out the door.

* * *

"Oh hell," Edward groans as I get settled in his car a couple minutes later.

"You saw my legs two weeks ago," I laugh, but I'm secretly pleased. I can't wait to get a better look at his costume in the light.

For dinner, Edward takes me to a cozy French restaurant, tucked into a strip mall. And he does indeed look amazing in his suit.

"Where is that from?" I ask curiously as we wait to be seated. "Please don't tell me it's from your wedding or something."

"No," he laughs, "I rented a tux for that. It's actually the only suit I own; it's mostly for job interviews."

"Well, I'd definitely give you the job if you came to an interview in that."

Once we're seated, we look over the menus and place our orders. And then I notice Edward staring at me. "What?" I chuckle.

"You look amazing, Bella. I'm just remembering seeing you walk into my classroom in that dress a year ago."

"Oh," I reply dumbly, feeling my face flush. "I-I guess it is the one-year anniversary of our first time."

"And so it is… too bad I don't have a desk at home to bend you over in remembrance," he grins. "I love your blush. Sometimes you're the sweet, innocent schoolgirl and sometimes you're the vixen who's bewitched me."

"B-bewitched you?"

"I can't seem to stay away from you, can I?"

"I don't want you to stay away."

He smiles softly, reaching out to take my hand. "Thank you for forgiving me."

"I can't seem to stay away from you either," I admit. "Even when I was so angry with you, I still wanted you… and your monster cock," I add with a grin.

* * *

After dinner, it's a fairly short drive to the pub where the Halloween party and costume contest is happening. I hold my breath as the bouncer looks over my ID before waving us in.

Edward called ahead to reserve a table, which is awesome, because the place is packed. Most of those who aren't waiting for a drink are on the small dance floor, bopping to some sort of obnoxious club music.

"Who's the band playing tonight?" I ask him over the sound of the pounding bass.

"I forget the name — an 80s cover band. They should be on at nine."

"Just your speed," I tease.

"I wasn't born until 1989!" he protests. "It's not like I have any memory of the 80s."

"At least you were _born_ in the 80s."

Edward grabs hold of my stool, dragging me closer to him. "You'd better be nice to me," he whispers, his hand rubbing my bare thigh.

"Or what?" I grin.

"Or I really will bend you over something tonight."

"I look forward to it."

He shakes his head.

Our waitress stops by and he orders a beer, so I decide to push my luck with him and order a vodka and cranberry. I know he doesn't like drinking or using my fake ID too much.

"How come you got a beer?" I ask nosily.

He shrugs. "I think they expect you to order at least one drink on a night like tonight. I'll switch to Coke after this though."

"So what made you comfortable with the idea of going to a Halloween party?"

"It's South County," he explains. "There doesn't seem to be a real direct way to get here from campus. And besides, I figure most people will be too drunk to notice anyone around them."

I laugh. Looking around, I think that's a pretty safe bet.

The band turns out to be really good. They dress up in period-perfect outfits to mimic the bands they're covering, which makes it a lot of fun. After the first set, there's a costume contest for men, women and couples. As much as I'd like to enter, we probably shouldn't do anything to draw attention to ourselves.

I finally drag Edward out to the dance floor during their second set. It's wall to wall people, most of whom have probably had one too many alcoholic beverages.

By the third set, we more or less surrender our table and just stay on the dance floor, despite the growing pain in my feet. It's primarily upbeat rock music, but we still manage to dirty dance as much as we can. Rubbing my backside against Edward's groin, I can feel the BDE, making me want to jump him as soon as we get back in his car.

Somehow, I manage to refrain, though from the look in his eyes, I know he wants me just as badly.

While Edward drives, he keeps one hand on my bare thigh as much as he can. It's just enough to tease me. Once he's parked in the carport, I immediately open my car door and follow him up to the porch.

As soon as the door is closed behind me, he shoves me up against it and places his mouth on mine. I kiss him back eagerly, wrapping my legs around his waist when he lifts me off the ground.

I hold on tightly when Edward starts walking us down the hallway to his bedroom. He gently lowers me to the bed, leaving my legs dangling off of it. I try to scoot up, but he stops me, getting down on his knees as he slowly drags his hands down my legs to my shoes.

"These are sexy," he says in a rough voice.

"I got them for my mom's wedding."

Once he's taken my shoes off, he massages the bottom of my feet, pressing in hard with his thumbs, and it feels amazing. Soon, his hands begin their ascent up my legs. Reaching under my dress, he grasps the sides of my underwear and pulls them down.

Edward stands to take his suit jacket off, laying it on top of the dresser before he removes his shoes.

"How flexible are you?" he asks, coming back toward me.

"I don't know," I laugh. "Alice keeps wanting me to try yoga with her."

He pushes my dress up to my waist, then begins pushing my legs up and out until I'm totally splayed open for him. He brushes his fingers over the still-hairless skin, and I close my eyes, just enjoying his gentle touch.

"You know, you don't have to do this for me," he says, his hand on my bare pussy letting me know what he means. "Don't get me wrong, I love it, but… only do it for you, Ok?"

"O-ok," I agree, opening my eyes as he gets down on his knees again.

He wastes little time in just diving right in with his lips and tongue, while one finger slowly presses inside me. I'm most definitely moaning like a porn star by the time my orgasm crashes over me.

"God _damn_ , you're good at that," I pant, finally letting my legs drop.

Edward laughs as he stands, doing a little strip tease for me as he removes the rest of his clothes. I really wish I knew how to whistle.

"I can bend you over the bed," he suggests. "Or whatever you want."

Biting my lip, I flip over onto my stomach, planting my feet on the ground, then get up onto my elbows.

"If only you could see yourself," he groans. "Spread open, waiting for my cock. So fucking sexy. I almost blew my load when I first saw you like that on my desk last year."

I can't help grinning at his words. I'd thought he was hardly affected at all by what was happening between us.

"Look up," he whispers, and he plants a sloppy upside-down kiss on my lips. We're still kissing as the BDE begins his intrusion. I have to break away from Edward's lips to moan once he's fully sheathed inside me.

"Put your knee up on the bed," he suggests, and once I do so, he begins thrusting in and out, increasing his pace with each thrust until he builds up a steady rhythm.

"Do you like this?" he asks, lightly slapping my ass cheeks.

"Oh god… I love it… I love your cock," I babble. Seriously, when did I turn into a porn star?

Suddenly, the BDE is gone!

"Turn over," he orders, slapping my ass again.

I hurriedly flip onto my back, and Edward pushes my legs up again. His massive dick is back inside me seconds later, barely even missing a beat.

"My view is fucking spectacular," he chuckles. "Legs spread open, tits bouncing, and that look of pleasure on your face. It doesn't get better than this."

"Ohhhhhh… you're gonna make me come," I moan. I really, really like his dirty talk.

"Come all over my cock, baby. Let me feel you."

"Oh fuuuuuuccckkk…"

"Shit, you're squeezing… oooooohhhh," he groans out his release.

"Jesus Christ," he mutters, pulling out of me. "You are my little vixen."

I slowly put my legs down, then get to my feet before his jizz can leak out of me onto the bed. Edward startles me by pulling me close, kissing me until I think I'm going to lose my mind.

"It's dripping," I laugh, finally pushing him away. "I'm gonna go clean up."

"I got an extra toothbrush for you."

I turn, looking back at Edward, touched by the gesture. "Thanks."

After getting ready for bed, I hunt down my panties and slip them on. Edward tosses a large t-shirt at me that I slip over my head, then crawl into bed while he takes his turn in the bathroom.

I'm irrationally excited when he gets into bed with me a few minutes later. It's our first sleepover! I quickly turn to face him, then rest my head on his chest.

"Goodnight, baby," he whispers.

* * *

"Looks like the old man wore you out last night."

I crack my eyes open to Edward standing over me, fully dressed with damp hair. He smiles then leans down to peck my lips.

"I'll go make breakfast while you shower."

"You can make breakfast?" I ask skeptically.

"Watch it," he chuckles, walking out of the room.

Turning on the water in the shower, I wrinkle my nose at the toiletries available. Not only will I smell like a man, but he doesn't use conditioner! How do guys manage to have such nice hair with their limited supplies?

Wrapped in one of his fluffy towels, I do my best to brush out my hair. I don't have my moisturizer or any make-up in my purse — I definitely should've planned this out better. I hope Edward isn't disappointed.

When I walk into the kitchen, it smells amazing! "What are you making?" I ask excitedly.

"Cinnamon rolls. They're almost done."

I immediately burst out laughing. "So you opened the tube and arranged them in the pan?" It takes well over an hour to make cinnamon rolls from scratch due to needing to let the dough rise.

"I also set the oven timer," he grins, greeting me with a kiss.

When the timer beeps, I take a seat at the kitchen table, letting Edward take care of serving the rolls onto our plates. He's already got two place settings made up with a glass of orange juice at each one. I guess I should give him _some_ credit.

"Thanks… this looks great. My dad used to make these for us before I learned how to cook." I spread the frosting on mine and enjoy the first sweet bite.

"What are you staring at?" I ask a few minutes later.

Edward smiles, shaking his head. "You, with no make-up. You look so young."

"That's why I usually wear it around you," I confess.

"You're beautiful without it, but… I feel a bit like a dirty old man corrupting you."

"You're not corrupting me!" I protest.

"I took your virginity… in your high school classroom, no less."

Jumping out of my chair, I sit on Edward's lap, touching his amazing jaw and turning him to face me. "I _gave_ you my virginity. Everything we've done together, I've wanted. So don't go getting all emo on me, all right?"

"You're pretty amazing," he says with a small smile. "I'll try not to."

* * *

 **A/N** : So Edward found a party they could attend where he felt safe. Those who aren't familiar with St. Louis County wouldn't understand, but there really is no easy way to get from the UMSL campus in North Country to the area of South County where they were. The "inner belt" (I-170) stops halfway.

They had their first sleepover! And celebrated the one-year anniversary of their first time in fine style. A little credit to Edward for not overbaking the cinnamon rolls in the morning.

Can you just picture Jake as Andre the Giant? LOL!

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: I renamed this one a week ago after the Eagles concert. It's one of the bigger solo hits by one of the band members.


	17. Chapter 16: The Heat Is On

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! You all seem to know who Andre the Giant is — I guess everyone has seen _Princess Bride_!

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from the late Glenn Frey went to: **Midnight Cougar** , **DICATAKADD** , **Arctic1** , **Judyblue95** , **SassYNoleS** , **That'sMzPeachesTYVM** , **tff000** , **MissyDy** , and **Don't trust your eyes**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 16 – The Heat Is On_

The following Friday, I find myself daydreaming during Edward's class. I'm not a huge fan of the book we're discussing, and I think he can tell, because he keeps asking my opinion.

I'm also looking forward to our "traditional" date tonight: dinner and a movie. We're planning to go to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Chesterfield Valley, before going to the premiere of the new _Thor_ movie at the theater nearby. Chris Hemsworth… mmm. It's also far enough away from campus for Edward to be comfortable.

During class, I swear I keep seeing a shadow moving past the small window in the classroom door. Yet every time I look, I don't see anyone. Maybe I'm losing my mind; I've gone six whole days without the monster cock now.

After class, I head to The Nosh for lunch. One more class to get through later this afternoon, and then Edward and I can be alone together.

I'm just taking the last bite of my salad — Italian tonight, 'nuff said — when someone sits heavily in the chair across from me. I look up expecting to see Edward, but it's not him. It takes me a moment to recognize the face, but the tattooed arms give him away as James Hunter. I haven't seen him since the night of my birthday get-together.

"Can I help you?" I ask, a bit annoyed by the intrusion. He didn't even ask the seat was taken.

James smiles a seriously creepy smile. "That is just the question I was hoping you'd ask."

I narrow my eyes but don't reply. What the hell does this creep want?

"You've been a bad little girl, Bella," he says in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Smirking, he pulls out his phone, pressing his thumb to turn it on. After a couple of taps, he turns the screen so that I can see.

 _Oh my God!_ It's a photo of me… and Edward… with his tongue down my throat. From my clothing, I can tell that it was taken that night we went to Dave & Buster's. James was there, too? Fuck…

I try really hard not to react as my heart starts pounding madly.

"Recognize yourself… and Dr. Cullen? Tsk tsk… sleeping with your professor to get an A in his class," he drawls.

"I would never do that!" I reply in anger. I've always been an A student, thank you very much.

"Try telling that to the Dean after I show him this photo. I'm _pretty_ sure it's against the rules for a professor to sleep with one of his students. Possibly even grounds for termination."

James sits back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the table. I want to rip them off.

"But you can save his sorry ass," he announces.

I raise an eyebrow. So he wants something in exchange for his silence.

"You're obviously a slut, so… I'll let you come to my apartment and work off your debt on your back."

"Go to hell, asshole!" I yell, moving to stand up.

James grabs hold of my wrist — hard. "Now don't be too hasty. Do you want to see your boyfriend lose his job? I'm sure you're not such a great fuck that he'll forgive you for costing him his livelihood."

"You're disgusting," I snarl, pulling my arm out of his grasp.

He shrugs nonchalantly. "Ah ah ah! I'm a nice enough guy to give you the chance to change your mind before I blow your boyfriend's career out of the water. You have two weeks. I'll find you."

James abruptly stands, walking away with his hands in his pockets as if he doesn't have a care in the world.

I slump back in my chair, trying to not go into full panic mode. This is bad, this is so bad. I need to tell Edward. Maybe he'll have some brilliant idea. He's got office hours now, but I know he doesn't want me coming to his office.

Fuck, this is an emergency though! But with James potentially watching us — I suddenly wonder if he was the shadow I saw outside the classroom this morning — I can't afford to be seen anywhere near Edward's office.

And double fuck, I've got a test in my afternoon class! It's one of the courses for my major, so I can't afford to fail.

 _Keep it together, Bella_ , I chant. I've done this before — tried to act normally while my heart was breaking. I also only lasted about 10 minutes.

Hurriedly tossing the trash on my tray, I go upstairs to the Quiet Lounge to study for the test. I just need to keep my head in the game for the next couple of hours — then I can freak out.

On my way back to the College of Arts & Sciences building, I send Edward a quick text to tell him that I'll be heading to his place as soon as my class is over at 3:15. I obviously don't want to let him know what's up via text message, but I'm sure he'll be able to tell that something's wrong.

My mind continuously wanders, but I make it through the test. I think I did Ok. Once I'm finished, I rush out of the classroom, then hurry to the parking lot. After a quick _'I'm on my way'_ text, I make my way to I-70, thankful that it's not the worst part of rush hour yet.

I've never driven to Edward's house myself, but I've paid enough attention in the car with him to know the way. I pull up in the driveway next to his car, and he's got the front door open before I even make it onto the porch.

"Jesus, Bella, your message scared me." He hugs me briefly. "What's going on?"

"L-Let's sit down," I suggest, and he leads me into the living room.

Once we're seated, I bite my lip. You'd think that I would've spent the last 20 minutes rehearsing how I was going to break the news to him, but instead I was concentrating on keeping it together so I didn't crash. Now that I'm here, it's like a wave of energy has been sucked out me. I feel tears pricking at my eyes before I can stop them.

"Bella!" he prompts. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

"Sorry for what?"

"James Hunter saw us kissing at Dave & Buster's," I blurt out.

Edward just looks confused. "Who is James Hunter?"

"The guy with the ponytail and tattoos that you shoved into a wall on my birthday," I explain.

"Oh!" His eyebrows rise to his hairline.

"He-he's got a photo of us, Edward! And he's threatening to go to the Dean, unless…"

"Unless _what_?" he asks, sounding angry.

"Unless I have sex with him," I whisper. James didn't quite say that in those words, but his meaning was clear.

"No!" he shouts. "You are not letting that creep touch you."

"Of-of course not, but… but he'll go to the Dean!" I cry. "He showed me the photo on his phone, and it looks pretty bad. We're kissing and your hands are on my ass. There's no mistaking what's happening."

He stands abruptly, pacing from one side of the room to the other. "Can you even see our faces if we're kissing?" he asks, stopping in front of me.

"Mine was pretty visible from the angle," I recall. "Yours really isn't, but you've got a pretty unique hair color. We'd be hard pressed to deny that it's you. And he may have more photos than just the one he showed me."

"You said no to his proposal, right?"

"Yes, of course I did! I told him to go to hell."

Edward's face briefly breaks into a smile. "Did you admit anything to him?"

Burying my face in my hands, I try to think back to everything that was said during our short conversation. All I did was deny sleeping with my professor for a grade.

"No, I never admitted to anything."

"Are you sure?" he prompts.

"Yes, I'm sure," I nod. "Do you think we can try to lie our way out of it if he goes to the Dean? He's got photographic proof, Edward! What are we gonna do?" I cry, tears finally starting to fall. "I don't want you to get in trouble or lose your job because of me."

He sighs, sitting back down beside me and grabbing my hands. "I don't have a plan right now, Bella. But I can say this — if I get fired because of our relationship, it's because of _me_ , not you."

"We thought we were being careful! Of all the rotten luck, to have James at Dave & Buster's that night."

"Yeah," he sighs. "For cripes sake, you have games like that in your Student Center. Why did he need to drive all the way out to Earth City? I wonder if he was following you."

Reaching over, Edward brushes my tears away. "Don't cry, baby. It's my ass on the line, not yours."

"But… it was your dream to teach at a university!"

He rests his forehead in his hands, letting out a long breath. "It is my dream, and I don't know what I'll do if this costs me the opportunity I've always wanted.

"But under no circumstances are you to give in to his demands! There's no guarantee that an asshole like that wouldn't go back on his word anyway."

"Y-You're right," I nod. I can't imagine letting that creepy guy touch me at all, but Edward is right that it might not even stop him from going to the Dean.

"How did he even know you were my student?" Edward frets.

"I-I don't know. I thought I saw a shadow outside your classroom door this morning. James approached me at The Nosh over lunch, so maybe the shadow was him, verifying that I was in your class?"

"That's… possible," he nods. "He must've seen me around campus at some other point since September and learned that I was a professor and not a student."

"What are we gonna do?" I yell, the panic finally getting to me. I can't let James Hunter cost me Edward. We've come too far. "He gave me two weeks to make a decision."

He pulls me onto his lap, hugging me tightly. "I don't know, Bella. I wish I had some brilliant idea. I don't know how to keep James from going to the Dean, short of having the guy bumped off."

His ridiculousness makes me laugh through my tears. Edward may admit to being a bit unethical sometimes, but he'd never actually hurt anyone. He rubs my arm, holding me snugly against him, and I feel like somehow, someway we'll find a way to save his job.

Once my tears are all cried out, I stay securely in Edward's arms. At some point, we both end up stretched out on the couch, his arms still around me as we fall asleep.

It's dark by the time I'm awakened by a growling stomach and the need to pee. I can at least take care of the second item. When I come back, Edward is sitting up, rubbing his eyes.

"I guess… dinner and a movie is out right now," he says quietly. "There's a small Italian place up the road where I can pick up something to go."

"All right," I agree.

Edward gets his phone and brings up the website with the menu. It looks like St. Louis style pizza, but there are plenty of pastas or sandwiches to choose from.

I just wait in his house while he goes to pick up dinner a few minutes after calling in our order. I set the table and get drinks ready, a small smile coming to my face as I realize how comfortable it feels to be doing this.

After we've eaten, we curl up on the couch together watching a movie on Netflix. I guess we got our dinner and a movie anyway. Neither one of us is in the mood for sex, but he kisses me so tenderly before I leave that I almost start crying again.

Alice is still out with Jasper when I get home, while Jake is already in bed. I'm glad they aren't around to see me in this state.

* * *

When I get up on Saturday morning, I make up a batch of pancakes for the three of us. Jake apparently loves to load up on carbs on game days. The men's basketball team is playing a charity exhibition game benefiting United for Puerto Rico later today against Fontbonne.

"Is something wrong, Bella?" Alice asks as she helps me clean up. "You don't seem like yourself today."

I bite my lip, trying not to start crying again.

"What's wrong?" she asks again. "Did something happen? Did you and Edward have a fight?"

"No, but… it does concern Edward, and… it's bad."

"You're not pregnant, are you?" she gasps.

"No, I'm not pregnant!" I had my period this past week.

"Do I need to kick someone's ass?" Jake asks, puffing up his chest.

"I wish that would do it," I reply with a small smile.

Alice leads me to the couch, patting my hand. "Spill, Swan. We're your best friends. You know we'll do our best to help with whatever it is."

"I know," I whisper. As I think about it, I know Alice is right. Two heads are better than one… or in this case, four are better than two. Edward and I have no brilliant plan, but maybe Alice or Jake can think of something.

"Before I get into why I need your help, I need to confess that… I've been lying to you." I pause, biting my lip. Both of my friends are looking at me in confusion.

"The first lie was for my benefit, but since then, it's been to protect someone else. Someone I care about very much. And I know you'll probably be upset with me for not being truthful, but… I'm trusting you with something that could get someone else in big, big trouble. We need all the help we can get right now though."

"You know you can trust us, Bella," Alice says, looking hurt.

"In some ways, it's not my secret though, and the other person doesn't know that we can trust you," I explain.

"Ok," Jake says, "let's hear it. You have my word that it won't leave this room."

"Same here," Alice nods her agreement.

* * *

 **A/N** : So we have a rarity in one of my stories: a bad guy! Creepy James saw Edward and Bella the night they went to Dave & Buster's and he's got a photo to prove they're in a relationship. Finally, Bella is going to 'fess up to her friends because she needs all the help she can get to find a way out of this mess!

I'm sure no one cares, but I did actually use the UMSL basketball team's schedule for Jake's games lol.

Next update on **Monday**.

* * *

For a teaser: This chapter was one of the easiest to name! The song is a #1 hit collaboration between four solo artists.

I don't currently like the titles I've chosen for the next three or four chapters after this one, so I'd better get on with finding better ones!


	18. Chapter 17: That's What Friends Are For

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! Safe to say that no one likes James! You guys had lots of ideas on what Edward and Bella could do!

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Dionne Warwick and Friends (Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John) went to: **Hannah2204** , **Team Marylou** , **OWT** , **orion03981** , **SassYNoleS** , **Midnight Cougar** , **NKubie** , **MissyDy** , **Lisalouise** , **Lilypad10** , **PBJilly** , **dawnhybb** , **tff000** , **gabby1017** , **TrulyOutrageous** , **angels04** , **Ninkita** , and **MariahajilE**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 17 – That's What Friends Are For_

"All right, my first lie," I begin nervously, "was more a lie of omission. I told you about the older guy that I'd had a brief relationship with back in Chicago. What I didn't tell you is that… he was my AP English teacher."

"No way!" Jake exclaims. "The guy with the huge schlong was your _teacher_?"

"Who was married?" Alice adds. "What a total jerk!"

"No," I quickly protest. "He in no way used his position to seduce me into something I didn't want to do. I'd been fantasizing about him for weeks before anything happened."

"But he was still married!" she yells.

"Yes, but… although he and his wife were still on good terms, his marriage was over except for the legal part, and had been for a couple of years. There's more to it, but that's not for me to tell. I'm sorry."

"You didn't mention that earlier," she accuses.

"I didn't know everything when I told you guys about him," I confess.

"So you've talked to him since you left Chicago?" Jake asks, gradually putting the pieces together.

I nod. "It's completely random, but he just so happened to come to UMSL to teach this semester."

"He's _here_?" Alice screeches.

"Are you sure it was random?" Jake asks skeptically.

"I'm sure," I nod. "I knew he was planning to finish up his PhD and get a job at a university. He thought I was going to U of I when he accepted a temporary position at UMSL filling in for Dr. Maltby. It was a total coincidence.

"After several weeks, I finally allowed him to explain everything to me, and that's when he told me the truth about his marriage. It still took a couple more weeks for me to forgive him for not mentioning he was married before anything happened between us."

"Wait," Alice says, "so the mysterious guy you've been dating is your former high school teacher?"

"Yes," I nod.

"But you said it was this Edward guy who took care of James for me," Jake says.

"That's him," I nod. "One and the same."

"That hottie was your teacher? Hell, no wonder you lusted after him," Alice laughs.

"And… he's still my teacher," I confess quietly. "Remember how I told you that someone in my Literature class reminded me of my ex? Just a slight modification of the truth."

"He teaches your Literature class?" she clarifies.

"Yes. And we know that even a consensual relationship between us is prohibited so long as he's my professor. Believe me, he treats me like anyone else in the classroom and when he's grading papers, but it's still against the rules. We made the joint decision not to wait for the semester to be over before we started seeing each other… and that decision has come back to bite us in the ass."

"How so?" Jake asks.

"Someone saw us kissing at Dave & Buster's two weeks ago… and took a photo. And that person found out that I'm in Edward's class and is threatening to expose us to the Dean."

"What kind of bastard would do that?" he asks angrily.

"James Hunter."

"Oh my god, what a fucking pig!" Alice yells. "He seriously threatened you?"

I nod. "Yesterday when I was having lunch, he came up to me and showed me the photo on his phone. I don't know what to do, Alice! Edward and I don't have any brilliant ideas on how to stop James from squealing. I think he kind of wants to take our chances and make up some story if James really does go to the Dean. But it's been his dream for years to teach at a university, and I don't want him to get fired because of me!"

Alice and Jake surround me, hugging me. "Nobody messes with our friend," she says angrily. "We just need to think about this rationally. I doubt we can stop James from doing anything, but… maybe we could ensure that he has no proof?"

I blink twice. "You mean like steal his phone?"

"That alone won't work," Jake shakes his head. "It's probably backed up to the Cloud. What we need to do is get the phone and delete every copy of the photo we can find. Then we give the phone back," he shrugs. "He won't even know what's happened until the next time he tries to open the photo."

"Ok, assuming we can steal his phone _temporarily_ , how can we find out his passcode, genius?" Alice snarks.

"He uses a thumbprint," I reply excitedly, holding up my own thumb as some sort of evidence. "I saw him unlock his phone with it yesterday."

"All right," she nods slowly, "but there's still the small issue of getting the unlocked phone away from James _without him noticing_ long enough to delete every copy of the photo."

"Well, it's dirty and illegal, but… I think Quil may be able to help us," Jake replies.

"Quil?" I ask in confusion.

"The guy he got your fake ID from," Alice reminds me. Now I remember them telling me that Jake and Quil had been best friends in elementary school, after Jake saved the much-smaller Quil from some bullies. Though he and Jake were still friendly, he'd fallen in with a bad crowd later on, helping underage students get fake IDs… and selling drugs.

"You want to drug him?" I ask in shock.

Jake nods. "I'm sure Quil could get Rohypnol — roofies. Like I said, it's dirty and illegal, but I've heard rumors that James has roofied a couple of girls, so the prick absolutely deserves it."

"Do you think you could manage to spike James's drink?" I ask skeptically. "I mean, could you get that close to him after the way you tossed him out of my party…?"

"Yeah, it might be best if I'm not the one to do it," he agrees. "I could probably get Emmett to help me."

"Emmett?" Alice asks. "Can we trust this guy?"

"We can," Jake assures us. "He's my best friend on the team, and he hates James. Doesn't like the way James looks at his girlfriend."

"So what do you need Bella and me to do?" she asks, cracking her knuckles. It almost makes me want to laugh.

"You can be some sort of lookout, Alice," he suggests. "Bella and I will take care of deleting anything we can find on the phone."

"So when do we do this?" I ask. The more I hear of Jake's plan, the more I'm starting to think this could actually work. "James gave me two weeks to make a decision before he goes to the Dean, but I don't know that we can trust him."

"Hmmmm… well, if I can get in touch with Quil fast enough, I think tonight is our best bet. There's a party after the exhibition game tonight, and I'm sure James will be there.

"If we can't do it tonight, then… it'll probably have to be a week from tomorrow. The basketball team is leaving on a bus Friday morning to Big Rapids, Michigan, where we're playing Friday and Saturday nights. We'll be on the road bright and early on Sunday morning, but the trip could take eight hours, so it'll be afternoon before we get back to town. I know there's a party planned for after our return."

"But that's a school night!" I interrupt.

"A lot of people don't have classes on Mondays," he points out. "Still, it'll probably be more low-key than tonight's party, with less alcohol flowing, so it's not ideal, but I don't think we'll have another opportunity in the next two weeks."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Alice says, tapping the table twice. "Go call Quil."

"Aye-aye, Captain!" Jake replies with a grin, heading into his bedroom.

"I'm sorry, Alice," I whisper once Jake is gone. "I'm sorry for lying. I didn't know you guys all that well back in March, and I was worried about what you'd think of me for sleeping with my teacher."

"I can understand that," she smiles. "You know us _now_ , though, and you still kept it from us."

"Like I said, it's not just about me anymore. It's about Edward and his dream to be a college professor… it's his career. He wasn't comfortable with anyone knowing about us, but I think even he would say this is a special case."

"I get it," she nods. "So is he still married?"

I nod. "His wife, Tanya, is still living in their house in Chicago and working at an art museum. They're planning to file for divorce soon, though."

"Wow… does she know about you?"

"She didn't last year, and if he's told her, he hasn't mentioned it to me," I reply. "He's a good guy, Alice. He doesn't always do things by the book, I suppose, but he has good reasons."

"Well, this little drugging and phone heist we're planning isn't exactly legal," she reminds me. "James has it coming to him though. What a slimeball!"

A few minutes later, Jake comes out of his room, giving us the thumbs up. "Quil and I are meeting near the Galleria as soon as we can both get there."

"Wait," Alice says, getting up from the couch. She comes back with her purse, then pulls out her wallet. "How much is it, did he say?"

"Alice, you don't have to pay for it!" I exclaim.

She waves her hand. "Pay me back later if you want."

"Chill, guys," Jake laughs. "One pill is like four dollars."

Frowning, Alice hands him a five-dollar bill. "Keep the change," she snarks.

* * *

Once Jake has the small pill in his possession, he texts us to let us know that he's meeting up with Emmett for lunch to discuss our plan — without revealing the whole story. I wait on pins and needles for the text letting me know that Emmett is on board. It's a go for tonight.

Since Edward and I have decided to lay low for now, Alice invites me to join her and Jasper for an early dinner before we all go to Jake's 5pm game together. I know she wants to tell Jasper what's going on, but I don't know him well enough yet to trust him with something like this.

While we're eating, Alice and I each get a text from Jake, letting us know the location of tonight's party.

"Something I should know about?" Jasper grins when our phones ding at the same time.

"Jake was just letting us know where tonight's party will be after the game," she explains.

"I didn't think you two were into drunken frat parties," he chuckles.

"We're not," I speak up. "This is a… special occasion."

Jasper raises an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Jasper, but it's better if we don't get anyone else involved," I reply, hoping to appease him.

Alice glances at me before speaking. "Someone is out to hurt Bella and her boyfriend, and we're going to prevent that from happening."

"Not without me, you're not," he declares with a growl. "Not if it's the slightest bit dangerous."

"Jasper might be able to help you with your part, Alice."

"All right," she agrees. "You can come with us, but I'm sorry that we can't tell you more."

The three of us file into the arena along with a packed crowd for the exhibition game to kick off the new season. I know even less about basketball than hockey, despite attending a few of Jake's games at Lafayette.

The UMSL Tritons end up beating the Fontbonne Griffins by 93-52 in what Jasper refers to as a blowout. Shortly after the game, Jake texts that we should wait another hour or so before showing up at the party, in the hopes that James will already have had a few drinks by that point.

"What do we do for an hour?" Jasper asks.

"The Student Center is open," I point out, and the three of us agree to go there. It's not particularly crowded for a Saturday night, so I let Alice try to teach me how to play darts.

When Jake gives us the go-ahead, I decide to send a quick text to Edward.

 _Alice, Jake and I have things under control. We should be in the clear soon._

I turn my phone to vibrate after sending the text, since no one is supposed to know Alice or I is present at the party.

We arrive at the back door to the frat house, then text Jake that we've arrived. He quickly shows up to usher us inside and into a bedroom that turns out to be Emmett's.

"Emmett's got the pill and will try to slip it into James's next drink," he whispers to Alice and me. "He's had three or four already. Once he starts feeling off, Emmett will suggest that James lie down in an unoccupied bedroom."

"What are we waiting for?" Jasper asks quietly, once Jake has slipped out the door.

"We can't tell you," I reply with a shrug. "Jake will let us know when he needs your and Alice's help."

Jasper takes a seat at Emmett's desk, while Alice and I sit on the end of his bed. I don't know how long we wait before the door opens and Jake sneaks in.

"Here," he says, tossing the phone toward me, "tap something before it shuts off automatically. I don't know how long it's set for. Alice and Jasper, Emmett is outside and will show you to your post."

Thankful that it's an iPhone like mine, I immediately bring up the Photos, scrolling back until I see the photo James showed me. I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see that there are a half dozen others taken around the same time. None are quite as incriminating, though they do show our faces more clearly. I delete them all, one at a time.

"Don't forget to go check the Recently Deleted photos," Jake says.

"I know, chill." Finding the Recently Deleted album, it's easy to spot the batch I've just deleted and remove them permanently.

"Oh, gross!" I exclaim.

"What?" Jake chuckles, coming to sit beside me.

* * *

 **A/N** : So Bella told her friends everything (except about the green-card marriage) and Jake and Alice put their heads together to come up with a plan. Will it work? And what did Bella see on James's phone?

As if you couldn't already tell, this fic should not be used as any sort of moral guidance lol! Not advocating drugging anyone or stealing, but…

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: Ugh, I couldn't find anything that represents the next chapter as a whole. In desperation, I Googled a list of definitive 80s songs and found this song from a movie soundtrack that makes a very tongue in cheek title. The movie bombed in 1983, but a year later, the soundtrack had one Top 10 song known for its opening piano riff. It's not the band's only hit, but I bet it's the only one most people could name (me included, though a couple others from Wikipedia sound familiar)!


	19. Chapter 18: On the Dark Side

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! You all seemed to be on board with their plan, no matter how illegal.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band went to: **Angellovee** , **SassYNoleS** , **tawelephant** , **MissyDy** , **CinnamonTeaz** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **dawnhybb** , and **deepsighs**. It's from the 1983 movie _Eddie and the Cruisers_.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 18 – On the Dark Side_

"He took a picture of his dick," I explain to Jake. "It's as ugly as he is." And way smaller than Edward's, I note with glee. I look up at Jake. "I feel like this was way too easy."

"Yeah," he nods, looking like he's thinking hard. "I doubt he'd go to the trouble of making a lot of back-ups, but maybe he emailed them to himself or something easy like that. Does he use the Mail app on there?"

I open the Mail app to James's email. There are two accounts, the first of which seems to be his umsl. edu account. I scroll through his Inbox from the last two weeks and finding nothing, I double check the Sent Items and Trash. Still nothing.

"Nothing on his school account," I report.

"Is there a second email account?"

"I'm getting to that." I open up James's gmail and sure enough, I find that he did email a copy of the most incriminating photo — the one he showed me — to himself.

"He did, good thinking," I smile at Jake before deleting it. I tap to his Sent Items, then delete the version from there before moving to the Trash folder.

"You know you can permanently delete those in one step," he chuckles.

"Shut it, I don't trust that with something this important." After deleting both emails from the Trash, I remember to check his Drafts in case he started an email to the Dean — nothing in there — and then close the app.

"How long do you think the emails will still be on the server?" I ask. "I mean, can he somehow download them again?"

"I think it's usually no more than two weeks, but if his email is synced to his phone, you got them from everywhere. Maybe check the other apps, too — anything with photos. Does he have Instagram?"

I look over the screen, then swipel to see more apps, but I still can't find the icon for Instagram. "No," I answer, "but I'll check everything."

After five minutes, I've found no trace of the photos anywhere else, but I hand the phone to Jake to make another pass, just in case.

"I can't find any more," he states after a few nail-biting minutes.

"Jake… what if he has a hard copy?" I ask, the realization suddenly hitting me.

His brow furrows as he frowns. "I know James is from out of the area and lives on campus. If he printed them, it'd probably be from one of the computer labs. I don't know if he'd chance that. I mean, who prints photos these days? I only print papers that can't be emailed."

"I know what you mean. My mom got me a collage photo frame last Christmas, but it's still sitting empty since I never bother to print photos."

"Maybe we can find out if he's used one of the labs in the last two weeks," Jake suggests.

"How?"

"Emmett is majoring in Information Systems," he smiles.

"Does he work in the lab?"

"No, but he knows the people who do. I'll ask him to check on it, all right? Are we done with the phone?"

"I think so," I nod.

Jake stands up, grabbing a tissue from the box on Emmett's desk, then begins wiping our fingerprints off James's phone. I hope he's just watched too many crime shows on TV to know all of this.

"I'll go slip this back into James's pocket and we can all get the fuck out of here, all right?"

Nodding, I follow him to the door and wait anxiously until he comes back with Alice and Jasper, motioning for me to join them as they head for the back door. Outside, we walk as quickly as we can back toward where we parked Jasper's car near the basketball arena. None of us says a word until we get there.

"We should be in the clear," Jake announces. "I'll see you ladies at home."

Climbing into the back seat of Jasper's pick-up, I remember that my own phone has been on vibrate for over an hour. Turning it on, I see several messages from Edward, ranging from panicked to pissed that I'm not answering him.

 _Sorry, my phone was on vibrate. I think we're good to go._

 **Where the hell are you?**

 _On the way home from campus with Alice and her boyfriend._

 **Come to my place once you get to your car.**

 _K. See you soon._

"Everything all right?" Alice asks, turning around in her seat.

"Apparently I shouldn't send text messages and then ignore my phone."

"Oh," she laughs.

Sitting back in my seat, I try to will my heartrate to return to normal. We got the photos deleted, and Emmett will try to find out if James printed them out. Assuming he didn't, then it'll just be James's word against ours if he dares to go to the Dean without any physical proof of a sexual relationship.

Once Jasper has parked in a visitor's spot at our apartment complex, I walk straight to my car to head to Edward's. He's already got the front door open before I've put my car in Park.

I can almost feel the anger rolling off of him as I pass by him into the foyer. He closes the door behind me, but I escape into the living room before he has a chance to yell at me.

"You scared me the shit out of me, Bella," he says, sounding like he's trying to control his anger. "You send some cryptic message then go dead silent."

"In hindsight, I should've waited before I said anything," I reply meekly. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Edward stalks toward me, pulling me tightly against him. "If I was into that shit, I would turn you over my knee right now," he growls.

"That might be kinda fun," I admit, which just seems to piss him off more.

"What kind of Scooby Doo caper were you involved in tonight, Isabella?"

I flush, getting kind of hot under the collar from hearing him use my full name. "C-Can we sit down?" I suggest.

He drags me over to the couch, then actually does lay me ass up across his lap. I yelp when he slaps me hard over my jeans. Immediately, he starts rubbing my ass cheek to ease the sting. I can feel my panties dampening.

"Do you like that?" he taunts.

"I like anything you do to me," I reply honestly. "You can punish me however you want."

"Get up," he chuckles, tapping my ass again. I lift my head, kneeling beside him. "Tell me where you were tonight."

"I went to the exhibition basketball game with Alice and her boyfriend, and then later we attended a team after-party… at a frat house."

Edward narrows his eyes. "How does this at all relate to the sticky situation we've found ourselves in?"

"James was at the party," I explain. I peek at Edward's face and he still looks super pissed, so I hurriedly continue. "Jake knows a guy who used to be a good friend, but he now… sells drugs. He sold Jake a Rohypnol pill, and Jake's friend Emmett was able to slip it into James's drink. When he passed out, Jake took his phone and Alice and her boyfriend acted as lookouts. We deleted every copy of the photo we could find. Then Jake wiped off our fingerprints and slipped it back into James's pocket. He'll never know what hit him," I grin.

"You and your friends… got rid of James's proof against us."

"Yep," I nod.

"So… you told them?"

"I did. They can be trusted, Edward, I promise." I reach out and touch his arm lightly. "Jasper and Emmett don't know the whole story though. Jasper wouldn't let Alice do it alone, and Emmett hates James for his own reasons. We didn't necessarily want to involve anyone else, but Jake couldn't really spike James's drink after the way he tossed him out of my party."

"And no one saw you at the frat house?" Edward asks.

"No one saw _me_ , for sure. Jake let us in a back door, and I stayed in Emmett's room the whole time. He did take Alice and Jasper to wherever Emmett had stashed James, but it was probably close by. Jake had us wait until an hour or so into the party, when the guys were already starting to get wasted."

I climb onto Edward's lap, straddling him and resting my hands on his broad shoulders.

"We did it, Edward. I really think we did it. Both Jake and I went over the phone, to make sure we didn't miss anything. I think roofies pretty much wipe your memory, so James likely won't even remember who passed him the last drink. And he won't notice that anything is wrong until he can't find the photo. He'll know someone did _something_ , but he may not even trace it back to tonight. He'll never be able to prove a thing."

"What if he's got a printed copy in his room that he plans to anonymously mail the Dean?" he asks. "I don't think it can be this easy, Bella."

"We're on top of that, too," I assure him. "Emmett is an Information Systems major, so he's gonna try to check on whether or not James has printed anything in the campus computer lab in the last two weeks."

"There are other places to print photos."

"There are," I nod. "The easiest way is probably with a phone app for certain stores, but he didn't have anything like that on his phone. I know there's no absolute guarantee that he doesn't have a printed copy, but we're in a lot better position than we were last night."

"We are," he agrees, letting out a long breath. "I think… we might still need to get a story together, in case he goes to the Dean anyway without the photo, or he doesn't realize he's lost the proof until he gets there. It'll be our word against his then, but we need to have consistent stories."

"Ok," I quickly agree. "I've always heard that the best way to tell a whopper of a lie is to stick as close to the truth as possible."

"Yeah, we'll probably need to admit that we were both at Dave & Buster's that night…"

"And maybe that we knew each other in Chicago," I add. "That could be found out from our records."

"But I guess… if he said you had two weeks, there's no real rush. Though I wouldn't trust him on that."

"Neither would I," I agree.

Edward's arms sneak around me, rubbing my backside. "Please don't scare me like that again. God, Bella, if something had happened to you…"

"I was safe," I promise him. "Either Jasper or Jake was pretty much always with me."

"Still…"

"You can punish me now," I grin.

I yelp when Edward suddenly stands, holding me against his chest. Once we've reached his bedroom, he tosses me onto his bed — which he never seems to make.

"Take your clothes off," he demands. God, I love it when he's bossy.

As I hurriedly shed my clothes, Edward begins to take his off as well. I lick my lips when his semi-hard dick is revealed. It still looks damn impressive.

"So what's next?" I ask with a grin. "Are you going to spank me again? Or maybe tie me to the bed posts? Or, I know, make me deep throat your monster cock? Or just give me so many orgasms that I lose my mind?"

Edward chuckles, shaking his head. "You have been reading too much fan fiction." He comes to lie on the bed then tugs me down beside him, turning me onto my right side so that my back is against his chest and wrapping his arms around me.

"I don't want you to ever think of anything we do sexually as a punishment, Bella," he says softly. "I want you to enjoy every single second."

"I think I'd kinda enjoy the orgasms one." And probably the others, too.

"I'm not sure I'm capable of that one," he says, circling my left nipple with a single finger. "You really did scare me tonight, baby."

"I didn't mean to!" I swear. "I just… wanted to give you some good news so you'd _stop_ worrying."

He chuckles, sliding his hand down my stomach. "Don't you get it? You're the most important thing to me right now. If James goes to the Dean and I lose my job, it'll definitely suck, but… as long as I still have you in my life, I'll be all right."

I can feel my skin heating up, though I don't know if it's more from his sweet words or his ministrations between my legs.

"I-I don't want to lose you either," I half moan as one long finger pushes inside me.

"We knew there were risks to getting involved before the end of the semester. Just as I knew there were risks to bending you over my desk last year. But I did it anyway, and I'm not sure I could really explain why I'm willing to risk everything for you… why I'm so drawn to you."

"Edward," I whine, "please fuck me now."

"Always so impatient," he chuckles, lifting my left leg.

I moan loudly when he enters me. God, he feels huge from this angle. And… oh! The BDE seems to be rubbing against just the right spot inside me with each slow thrust.

"Is this good?" he whispers, his fingers going back to work on my clit.

"So good… don't stop," I beg.

"I'll never stop, baby… Come here."

When I turn my head, Edward captures my lips with his, kissing me sensually while he fucks me — no, makes love to me — and pleasures me with his fingers. It's literally the best thing I've ever felt in my entire life.

And despite his insistence that he can't make me lose my mind from orgasms, I think I come at least twice before Edward stills inside me. I must be weird, because I love it when he comes inside me; it's like he's marking me as is.

Of course, I hate it once his jizz starts leaking out. _Gross._

And so I reluctantly crawl out of his arms and go clean up in the bathroom. I use the toothbrush he got for me and wash my face clean.

When I step back into the bedroom, Edward hands me his t-shirt to put on. "You're staying the night, right?" he asks hesitantly.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

* * *

 **A/N** : So does my title fit at all? The second half of the chapter is also a bit dark, with Bella having read too many BDSM fan fics! Though it ended on a sweet note.

Note that I am not a techie, but based on some Googling, it appears that deleting a photo from the Recently Deleted album will usually remove it from your iCloud. My iCloud storage is full, so when I delete a photo, it's really gone.

Moosals and I tried to think of every possibility here. Their main residual worry is just the possibility that James printed the photos. I used a Walgreens app to do that once, but Bella couldn't find anything like that on his phone.

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: This one should be fun… there are two completely different Top 10 80s hits with the exact same title and another Top 10 song with a nearly identical title. And that's just what I know off the top of my head.


	20. Chapter 19: Is This Love

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! Everyone is crossing their fingers that Bella and Jake took care of all copies of the incriminating photos.

Congratulations to **MsAndreaRenee** , who was the only one to guess this chapter's title from Whitesnake and Survivor ( _Is This Love_ ), or the similarly named _Is It Love_ from Mr. Mister.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 19 – Is This Love_

"Oh!" My eyes fly open to a brightly lit room and a head of messy reddish-brown hair between my legs. He kisses, laps and sucks, and just generally… loves me.

Edward may not have quite said those three little words last night, but… I think… it was implied. And even more scary, I think I love him, too. Maybe it's fast since we've only been dating for a month, but…

He completes me. God, that is so cheesy. I enjoy every minute we spend together, whether we're out and about or alone and naked.

But the naked part right now is fucking awesome. Back in high school, Lauren used to enlighten us as to which guys were grossed out by going down on girls, which were crap at oral sex, and which ones she'd let eat her out anytime, anywhere. I never knew whether to believe her or not.

I know now that she wasn't exaggerating about how good it can be with a guy who knows what he's doing.

Now that I'm awake, Edward intensifies his efforts, adding a finger inside me and speeding up his slow, gentle movements. I shudder and shake when I finally come.

"Good morning, beautiful," he smiles, looking up at me and licking his lips.

"Why is it morning already?" I moan.

"Hey, it's not my fault you jumped on my dick twice during the night," he laughs.

"Yes, it is! He was… looking at me. He looked needy."

Edward laughs, slapping the side of my ass as he gets up off the bed. "Want to shower with me?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows. Somehow I don't think he means just to get clean.

"Let me go use the bathroom first," I propose, getting out of bed.

 _Ow! Ow! Ow!_

My lady parts feel like they've been hit by a truck. Or repeatedly pummeled by the Biggest Dick Ever. Oh my god, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to walk correctly again.

After I've peed, I brush my teeth then turn on the water in the shower. I'm shocked when I see a new bottle of body wash on the shower caddy. It's strawberry scented, so it's clearly meant for me.

"You like?" Edward asks, stepping into the shower and wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"I love it," I respond, touched by the gesture. He didn't get any shampoo or conditioner, but then he wouldn't have any idea what kind I use. Unless he's got some freaky hair fetish.

He squirts some of the new body wash into his hands, rubs them together, then begins spreading the soap all over my skin. I smile when he pays extra close attention to my breasts.

When he's finished, I stand under the spray to rinse then decide to wash him. I start with his back, totally enjoying the chance to squeeze his ass. Edward has a very nice ass. Coming around to the front, I wash his chest then bend down to lather up his legs, totally skipping his very needy looking dick.

"You missed something," he pouts.

"Did I?" I ask innocently. Bending down again, I wrap my hand around the BDE, then suck the head into my mouth. I twist my hand a little as I move it up and down the length of his shaft.

After a minute or so of mostly concentrating on the head, I get brave and decide to see exactly how much of that monster will fit at least somewhat comfortably in my mouth. I know the trick is supposed to be to relax your throat, but that's really hard to do, and I end up gagging with several inches in my mouth.

"He's too much for you, huh?" Edward teases. "You know, you don't have to deep throat. I'll come just with what you were doing before, unless…"

"Unless what?" I ask, looking up at him.

"Oh my god, I think I could come just from the way you're looking at me," he moans. "But I meant that I could come inside you."

"Oh no!" I protest. "My lady bits need a break."

"Not my fault," he sing-songs. Just for that I oughta bite him.

Instead, I suck the head of his cock back into my mouth, continuing to use my hand on the rest. Only this time, I look up into his eyes the entire time. It's definitely better this way, getting to see the pleasure on his face. Pleasure that's because of _me_.

"If-if I were you," he pants, "I'd pull my mouth off now."

Oh shit! Yeah, I don't want a big glob of his spunk in my mouth. I've heard that shit's nasty. Pointing the BDE away from me, I tighten my hand and within 10 seconds, he erupts with a loud groan.

I watch with pride as his jizz runs down the drain. I did that. Me.

Edward helps me to my feet, planting two quick kisses on my lips. "That… was fucking awesome," he declares.

"Even though I couldn't deep throat?" I ask, my insecurity getting to me.

"Even then," he laughs, handing me the shampoo bottle.

A couple minutes later, Edward and I are out of the shower and drying off with his big fluffy towels. I didn't take the time last night to pack a new outfit, so I have to put on yesterday's clothes.

"Do you want me to go bring back some fresh donuts for breakfast?" he asks as soon as he's dressed.

"Krispy Kreme?" I ask excitedly.

"Sorry, no. It's not a chain. It's pretty good though. I don't want to chance going out with you."

"Ok," I agree, looking for my purse so I can brush my hair.

When Edward comes back with the donuts, we eat them while we start writing out the story we plan to give the Dean, should James make good on his word and squeal on us. Once we're satisfied that we have an explanation for everything, he makes a copy of our script with his printer/copier that I can take with me and memorize. I'll also need to get Alice and Jake on board with at least part of it — just in case — since I plan to say that I was with them at Dave & Buster's that night.

* * *

The week passes with no calls or emails from the Dean and no run-ins with James Hunter. I don't even see him around campus, but then I never did until last Friday.

Emmett checks with one of his buddies in the computer lab and learns that James has only sent something to the print queue once since the night Edward and I went to Dave & Buster's. He printed 20 pages to the black and white printer, not the color one, so it's most likely a paper for class and not any kind of photos.

That doesn't mean we're 100% in the clear, but it's looking pretty certain that James never printed the incriminating photo. And we've — hopefully — deleted his only proof against us.

After much begging and pleading via text, Edward agrees to take two of our dinner and movie plans on Saturday night — as a double date with Alice and Jasper. We're going to Chesterfield Valley, which is about a 30-minute drive from UMSL. I can't imagine anyone going to the movie theater out there when nearly a dozen are much closer to campus.

I do feel a bit bad for making the first official introductions without Jake, but he's in Michigan with the basketball team this weekend. There will be another chance for him to meet Edward.

Edward and I are meeting Alice and Jasper at the restaurant, since the two of them are taking a brief shopping trip beforehand. Jasper's mom's birthday is coming up, and Alice has gone along to help him pick something out.

The Italian restaurant Edward has chosen is very cute. On busy nights they won't seat you until the entire party is there, so we stand off to the side for a couple of minutes until the others arrive.

I put my hand on Edward's arm and begin the introductions. "Edward, this is Alice Brandon, who took me under her wing on my first day in a new high school. And this is her boyfriend, Jasper Whitlock."

Edward gives Alice a smile and then reaches out his hand for Jasper to shake. "I'm Edward Cullen," he says.

The hostess shows us to our table and we place our drink orders with our waitress, who hands us the short menus before describing several specials.

"Don't order the lasagna unless you want leftovers," Alice suggests. "Seriously, I've been here before and the portion is huge. Nothing else is quite that bad."

"Maybe I like leftovers," Edward smiles.

"Since he cooks about as well as you do," I point out, earning a playful glare from both of them.

"Oh, and Bella," Alice adds, "the pizza is a thinner crust but it's not St. Louis style."

"You mean it has real cheese?"

"Yes," she laughs, shaking her head. Only St. Louis natives seem to enjoy that odd cheese. It's fine on salads, but that's it.

"I'm with you in the anti-provel crowd," Jasper smiles, and I reach across the table to high-five him.

We place our orders, and our waitress is back after just a short time with our salads, which come highly recommended by Alice.

"I hear you want to go into politics," Edward says to Alice.

"That's the plan," she nods. "My mom leads a local charity, but I'd like to make even more of a difference. That's why I started going on these Habitat for Humanity trips as soon as I met the minimum age requirement. That reminds me — we need to choose a trip for this year, Bella. We don't have to do a youth trip this year; we could do one of the regular adult ones and maybe go to South America."

"If my parents let me," I reply, rolling my eyes. I'm 19 and could do it if I want, but… I need help paying my way. They're probably not going to want to pay for an international plane ticket.

"Both of your fathers are doctors, by the way," I point out to Alice, trying to show that my friend and boyfriend have something in common.

"Yeah?" she smiles. "My dad's an oncologist. Yours?"

"My dad's an orthopedic surgeon in Springfield, Illinois," Edward replies.

"What about you, Jasper?" I ask. "Where are you from?" We hadn't gotten around to discussing that during our quick pre-game dinner last week.

"Kennett, Missouri — down in the boot heel," he answers, referring to the 25-mile-wide area in southeast Missouri.

"Home of Sheryl Crow," I smile.

"How do you know that?" Edward asks, looking at me.

"My dad loves her."

"Oh," he chuckles.

"The boot heel in general is a very poor, rural area," Jasper explains. "My dad's a lawyer — doctor and lawyer are about the only well-paying jobs in town. Well, actually there's an auto parts manufacturing plant a few miles to the east in Hayti, and I think the plant foreman lives in Kennett," he adds with a chuckle.

"What are you studying, Jasper?" Edward asks.

"I'm majoring in History," he replies with a smile.

"Do you plan to teach afterwards?"

"No, my mom teaches fifth grade, but that's never sounded like a lot of fun to me. No offense," he laughs. "Actually, I'm planning to follow my father into law; maybe I'll just get a paralegal certificate and maybe go on to law school. I'm not 100-percent sure yet."

Once our waitress has dropped off our entrees, we enjoy them mostly in silence for a few minutes before Jasper asks Edward the million dollar question.

"Bella said this is your first semester teaching?"

"At the university level, yes," he explains. "I taught high school English in Illinois for four years while I finished up my PhD." I notice that he left out the fact that it was in Chicago.

"Which do you prefer?" Alice asks.

"Definitely a university. I much prefer teaching classes to students who want to be there."

"And you're just filling in for someone, Bella said?"

"Yes," he nods. "Dr. Maltby had to take a leave of absence to care for his wife after she had a stroke."

"Did you find out about next semester yet?" I ask suddenly. He had said something about six weeks prior to the end of the semester.

"He will be taking next semester off, too," Edward says, smiling at me. "I found out earlier this week. They've asked me to stay on in the Spring."

"That's great," I smile widely at that. My boyfriend definitely has a job in St. Louis come next January — even if it means we need to remain discreet.

Once we've finished our meals, we make the very short drive to the Chesterfield Galaxy movie theater.

"Are we still on for _Thor_?" Edward asks.

"Oh! _Daddy's Home 2_ opened last night," Alice says, looking at the posters on the wall. "I love Marky Mark."

"Isn't that a Christmas movie?" I wrinkle my nose. "No Christmas _anything_ until after Thanksgiving."

Alice pouts, but agrees, and our men go buy our tickets.

"He's really good-looking up close," she whispers as soon as they are out of earshot.

"All of him is beautiful," I reply dreamily.

"You've got it so bad," she laughs.

"Want popcorn?" Edward asks when he comes back with the tickets.

"You're kidding, right?" I didn't get the lasagna, but my chicken spiedini was big enough.

"Just thought I'd be polite and ask," he chuckles.

The theater is pretty full, but we do manage to find seats for the four of us together, though a bit closer to the front than I'd prefer. I pout a little because there's no way to sneak in a little hanky-panky surrounded by this many people. Isn't that what going to the movies is for?

Once the movie is over, I give Alice a quick hug before we go our separate ways. I'm spending the night with Edward — and I finally got smart enough to pack a small overnight bag. Go me!

* * *

 **A/N** : So as the title implies, Bella thinks she may be in love with Edward! So far she's too chicken to be the first one to say it though.

Edward and Alice/Jasper have finally met on their double date, but don't worry, Jake will get a chance to intimidate Professor Cullen at a later date.

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: You don't want to know how much time I spent trying to find a good title for the next chapter. Nothing from the 80s had the right vibe. I finally settled on a song that was the first of four hits by an alternative band in 1992, but it counts as an 80s song since it also appeared on the band's 1989 debut album, hehe. The songwriter committed suicide in 1993.


	21. Chapter 20: Hey Jealousy

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! Sorry for the mix-up Sunday night with the prior chapter (On the Dark Side). I'd noticed that FF ate my reference to James's email address, and when I tried to update the chapter, I accidentally scrolled to the wrong item in my list of online docs. I fixed it around noon my time when I checked reviews over lunch.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Gin Blossoms went to: **morena. davidson. 3** , **monica03** , **OWT** , **anitabonita2413** , **xoxocullenluverxoxo** , **edwardisaputz** , **Midnight Cougar** , **Icequeen13082006** , **NKubie** , **Taylor9901** , **TrulyOutrageous** , **k8ln713** , **SassYNoleS** , **underneaththechalkdust** , **ocassye** , **orion03981** , **wambam45** , **tawelephant** , **tff000** , **AbruptlyChagrined** , **angels04** , **MsAndreaRenee** , **dawnhybb** , **edwardsgirl007** , **MissyDy** , **the real teacher** , and **MariahajilE**. Easy one this time with the suicide clue!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 20 – Hey Jealousy_

It's D-Day. Or is J-Day more appropriate? Whatever. We've finally reached the two-week mark since James approached me in The Nosh. My guess is that he'll do the same thing again before going to the Dean.

Despite having no morning classes of his own on Friday, Jake insists on walking me through campus as a bodyguard of sorts, in case James comes up to me in a less-crowded area than the cafeteria. There's no sign of him though as we walk to the Student Center after Edward's class.

"You can't sit with me," I remind him as we near our destination. "James probably won't stop by at all with you there."

"I don't want to leave you alone with him."

"You can sit across the room where you can keep an eye on my table. I faced James alone two weeks ago, and I can do it again. I'm a big girl."

"And I can intervene if things get dicey," he says, pounding his fist into his other hand.

"Yes," I laugh. Truthfully, I'd love to see Jake smash James's face in as much as he'd enjoy doing it.

Jake holds the door for me, then we head through the cafeteria line together. Once we've each paid for our meals, I choose a semi-isolated table — so no one overhears — while he chooses one where he's not too close but has a good view of mine.

Once I've sat down, I start eating my bowl of baked potato soup; I'm too nervous to eat more than that. I try to act naturally and not keep turning toward the door, wondering when or if James is going to show up.

I'm nearly finished with my soup when I hear the awful screech of the chair across from me being pulled away from the table. Seconds later, someone sits heavily in the chair. Dropping my spoon, I look up at my company.

Of course it's James. Only he would be rude enough to sit down without asking.

"Isabella," he nods. "Or do you prefer Bella?"

"My friends call me Bella, but you're not my friend."

"I'm wounded," he pouts dramatically, bringing his hand up to his chest. "Have you had a chance to think about my proposal?"

"You mean your attempted blackmail?" I counter, raising an eyebrow. I'm relieved that he hasn't mentioned anything about the missing photos.

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," he shrugs.

"My answer is still no, James. You disgust me," I growl, wishing I were a guy who could spit on the floor.

" _I'm_ not the one sleeping with my professor. Well," he shrugs, "it's your prerogative to say no of course, if you don't care about your boyfriend's job. Hell, maybe he's already dropped you. Are you frigid? Or a bad lay? Maybe you _want_ him to lose his job for the way he's treated you. Am I getting closer?"

"Go to hell, James." I quickly stand up with my tray, dumping it on the moving belt before rushing upstairs to the Quiet Lounge.

As soon as I'm alone, I pull out my phone to text Edward, who should be in his office.

 _I just told James no to his proposal._

 **We need to be on high alert now. Delete our message thread and change my name in your Contacts, just in case.**

 _Already changed it_ , I text back with a wink. Edward has been known as BDE in my Contacts for the last week.

 **Pick you up tonight at six.**

"Hey," Jake calls, joining me in the Quiet Lounge just as I'm deleting the message thread. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," I assure him.

"So what happened? Any sign that James knows the photos were deleted?"

"Not unless he's an Oscar-caliber actor! All we can do now is wait to see if he contacts the Dean."

"With classes out next week, it might be a while," he cautions.

"I know," I sigh. I'd really rather get this over with, but UMSL gives us the entire week off for Thanksgiving, instead of just two or three days. Now I'll spend the entire break wondering when or if I'll be called in to face the Dean.

* * *

That evening, Edward leans in for a kiss as soon as I've slipped into his car and tossed my bag into the backseat. "Are you all right?" he asks, looking concerned as he rubs the back of my neck.

"I'm _fine_. You worry like Jake." I secretly love it though.

"We both care about you," he says, pecking my lips one more time and making me smile.

"So how hungry are you?" Edward asks as we get on the highway.

"Are we going out? I wasn't sure you'd chance that."

"In St. Peters," he replies. "I figured we could do dinner and then a movie out there."

"That sounds good," I agree. St. Peters is several highway exits into the next county, so I doubt anyone from school would choose to drive all the way out there to see a movie. "Anyway, I just had a bowl of soup for lunch, so I'm starving." I didn't even get to finish it.

Edward nods. "I found a Mediterranean place online that sounds pretty good, if you're up for it."

"Sure," I nod.

Once we've placed our orders at the restaurant, Edward reaches across the table to take my hand. "So, how did James take it when you refused to go along with his blackmail attempt?" he asks.

I shrug. "He said that was my prerogative. And then he tried to get under my skin a bit by speculating as to whether or not we were still together, insinuating that maybe I wanted you to get in trouble because you dumped me."

Edward's eyes widen upon hearing that.

"I-I hope you know that I'd never do that, Edward," I quickly rush out. "If we break up, I won't turn on you. Even as angry as I was last year when I found out about Tanya, I never seriously considered telling the principal or anyone else that we'd had sex."

"Thank you," he whispers, placing a kiss on the back of my hand.

"So… have you decided when you're leaving to go see your dad and stepmom?" I ask. I'll be heading home tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving with Mom and Phil.

"I told them no later than Wednesday. I guess it depends on you and whether or not you can get away one night."

"Alice, Jake and I were planning to do something on Tuesday. I can see if they'd mind you coming along. I know Jake really wants to meet you properly."

"He could've come along tonight, I suppose," Edward says.

"Nah," I shake my head. "The basketball team is driving to Joplin tonight for their afternoon game tomorrow."

"Are they off then during the break?"

I shake my head. "Wednesday night they're playing at Indiana State, and they have a home game on Saturday. Alice and I were planning to go to that."

"Do you know anything about basketball?" he questions with a smile.

"Even less than I do about hockey," I wink.

* * *

After dinner, we make the short drive to Mid-Rivers Mall to choose a movie.

" _Justice League_ is opening tonight," Edward suggests, looking up at the list of movies playing.

"You and your comic book movies," I complain playfully.

"You and your fan fiction," he says with a smirk.

"I thought comic books were for teenage boys? You're 28."

"Don't you know men never grow up," he grins, kissing me briefly.

I like several of the actors starring in the film, so I agree to see it, as long as Edward lets _me_ choose what we do after the movie. I mean, he's got a pretty good idea what I'm going to choose, and I'm sure he won't complain.

Once again, I'm too stuffed to get popcorn, but I do let Edward buy me a soda. I'm so going to have to pee when this movie is over.

Despite my complaints, I enjoy the movie a lot. Or maybe I just enjoy sitting in the dark for two hours with Edward's arm around me.

As always, there's this kind of anticipation in the air as we drive back to Edward's house. Most of our dates end in sex, but there's always something new to explore, something new that I can learn from an experienced man.

I'm still a little bit jealous of Tanya for the time she got with him, though I'm sure she wasn't his first girlfriend. I've never asked him how many other women he's slept with. I mean, I think he'd tell me, unless the number is so high that he can't actually count them all. English is his thing and not math, you know.

"What are you thinking about so hard over there?" Edward asks, giving me the side-eye.

"How many other women have you had sex with?" I blurt out.

Edward's eyes widen. "Wow, Ok, my fault for asking," he jokes… at least I think he's joking. "Pretty much everyone has a past, Bella. There's no point in being jealous of something that happened years before I even met you."

"No, I-I know that. And I know I benefit from your experience. It's just… you know I was a virgin before you. And I know you were with Tanya, but that's all I know. You've told me about your childhood, but nothing of your past relationships."

"I don't see them as relevant," he sighs.

"So you don't want to tell me?" I ask in small voice.

Edward glances over at me, then sighs. "Can it wait until we get home?"

"Oh… sure," I agree. We're just crossing the Blanchette Bridge back into St. Louis County.

A few minutes later, Edward pulls into his driveway. He unlocks the front door with his key, motioning for me to enter first.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asks.

"That'd be great." I leave my overnight bag in the foyer and take off my jacket, then make myself comfortable on the couch in the living room.

"What's got you suddenly thinking about my sexual history?" he asks, taking a seat beside me.

I shrug. "Maybe something James said today," I reply, remembering his questions about whether or not I was frigid or a bad lay.

"Don't listen to a word that asshole says," Edward says angrily.

"I know. It's just… you're more experienced than me. I knew nothing about sex before I met you, beyond what I'd read in fan fiction."

"Bella, I've never been some kind of manwhore. I was the nerdy kid in high school who was more into books and drama club than playing sports."

"You were in drama club?" I grin.

He rolls his eyes. "So not the point. I never got more than small parts in any of the plays or musicals we put on. I also wasn't a jock or part of the popular crowd."

"I find it hard to believe that women weren't all over you, given your looks and… attributes," I grin.

"My attributes…" He trails off, shakes his head, then takes a long sip of his water. He's acting a little cagey, or maybe just weird about this.

"We were required to take P.E. for all four years of high school," Edward says, and I frown at the non-sequitur. "And after… we'd shower before getting dressed. Let's just say… word got out that I had a larger than average penis."

"You mean your monster cock," I cough.

"I swear to you, it's not that abnormally large, Bella. But on a skinny teenager, it was a bit disproportionate."

"So someone in your gym class told his friends you had a big dick?"

"Yep," he nods.

"And that didn't send the girls flocking to your door once they found out?" I ask skeptically. Or am I a rarity to be impressed by a big dick?

"There was a sudden influx of girls paying attention to me when they never had before," he confirms. "I didn't find out why until later.

"We'd go out for dinner or whatever, and… they'd offer to go down on me in the car. Most of them were pretty intimidated and never got past the head," he remembers. " _All_ of them were too intimidated to actually have sex."

"So you were a virgin until college?" I realize.

He nods. "I'd filled out a bit by then, and I got a fair amount of female attention anyway. Still, the first girl I slept with most definitely told her friends about my size, leading to a lot more attention. Once I realized _why_ , I started declining. I wanted girls who wanted me for me and not the size of my dick. Tanya was one of the good ones," he adds.

I frown. "Is that why you don't like it when I call it your monster cock?" Oh god, if I'd known he had a bit of a complex about his size, I never would've teased him about it or let him know how his dick played into my attraction to him. Am I just as bad as those girls?

"I've gotten past it, Bella," he says softly. "It's a part of me and I can't change it, so I might as well embrace it. There are definitely worse things I could be known for."

"I hope you know I'm not just with you for your dick," I tell him, crawling into his lap.

"I know you're not." He puts his arms around me, hands on my ass. "Just like I'm not with you for your legs, or your boobs, or… any parts that very snuggly hug my dick."

I smile, leaning forward to kiss him.

"I still don't think it's as far above average as you do though," he adds.

"And I still beg to differ. Do you have a ruler? Or a tape measure?"

Edward laughs. "Maybe in the junk drawer in the kitchen."

I scramble off his lap, then take a look in the kitchen. I don't know which one is the junk drawer, but I find it on only my second try. I move around a few assorted pieces of junk and eventually find a tape measure. Not the soft, flexible kind I was hoping for, but it'll do.

He grins, shaking his head, when he sees me. "Should we take this into the bedroom?" he suggests, and I nod my agreement, following him into the bedroom.

Setting the tape measure down temporarily, I help Edward remove his shirt, then open his belt and unbutton his slacks.

"Eager, are we?" he grins.

Once he's totally naked, he lies in the middle of the bed. Unfortunately, he's not totally hard yet, so I can't get a good measurement. I'm sure I can rectify thatthough.

Crawling up beside him, I wrap my right hand around his dick and give it a few tugs. I lean over and take a few licks at the head, feeling him magically harden in my hand. I stop as soon as I think he's reached maximum size.

Edward just looks amused as I pick up the tape measure.

"Hold it for me," I direct, nodding toward his monster cock. I place the end of the tape measure against his body and pull…

* * *

 **A/N** : Some comments from Monday's chapter seemed to assume we were through with James, but nope! Bella officially turned down his proposal to sleep with him in exchange for not going to the Dean. It doesn't appear that he's found the missing photos yet, so we need to wait and see what happens when he does!

James's comments got Bella thinking about Edward's pre-Tanya past, so we learned a bit more of his history. Bella really has no reason to be jealous, now that she knows, but the fear of the unknown is always worse I think.

Next update on **Monday**. What do you think the measurement is going to be? ;)

For a teaser: I was drawing a blank on titles again so I left my original choice, a well-known 80s rock/hair metal anthem.


	22. Chapter 21: Livin' on a Prayer

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! Many of you are worried that Edward and Bella are taking too many chances by continuing to go out, even if it's in the next county over.

Congratulations to **k8ln713** , who was the only one to guess this chapter's title from Bon Jovi!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 21 – Livin' on a Prayer_

"Eight point five inches," I proudly report my official measurement of Edward's erect penis. "That's way over the 95% percentile. So don't try to tell me again you're just a little bit above the five to six-inch average."

"Yes, Ma'am," he smirks. "How do you know what the average penis length is?"

"Google is my friend," I smile, setting the tape measure on the nightstand.

"Come here," he crooks his finger and I crawl closer, until Edward pulls me down on top of him. I eagerly return his kisses, just so glad that we're here together. James may be trying to hurt us, but he's not going to. We're too strong for that.

As we kiss, Edward tugs up on my shirt until he's able to pull it over my head. My bra is the next to go, and I moan as his lips and tongue find my breasts.

"I want you naked," he whispers, and I hurriedly roll off of him so that I can tug my skinny jeans off. That shit isn't easy.

"You want to try something new?" he asks, a gleam in his eye. I should be wary, but instead I'm intrigued. "Face the bottom of the bed," he directs.

I sit up, then Edward motions for me to straddle his torso. He tugs my legs back toward his head, then pushes down on my back.

"Ohhhhh…" I moan when his tongue touches between my legs. I'm left staring at the very lonely looking BDE when I finally realize he's aiming for a 69. I'm a bit slow tonight.

Leaning forward, I suck him into my mouth. I haven't tried deep throating in a couple of weeks, and given the new angle, I wonder if this might work better.

I still fail, but I think I've passed the halfway point, at least. It's also very difficult to concentrate on my task while his tongue is busy making me feel so good.

After a couple minutes of pleasuring each other, Edward pulls his mouth off me. "I need to be inside you," he begs.

"Like this?" I ask, getting back up onto my knees.

"You can turn around if you want."

I want. I definitely want to see his face while I ride him.

Spinning around, I position the BDE at my entrance, then slowly slide down. It's much easier than the first time I tried to be on top. I must be getting used to his way-above-average size.

Edward holds his hands out, and I place my hands in his, bracing myself as I experiment with my rhythm.

"You ride me so good, Bella," he purrs. "It's like you were made for me."

"Mmmm…" I moan, speeding up my movements. I think he was made for me, too.

"I think this might be my favorite view," he pants, "watching you so unashamed as you take such pleasure from my body. I love it when you're a vixen."

Bending his knees for leverage, he begins thrusting up to meet my downward movements, pushing that 8.5-inch cock impossibly deeper. I am going to feel this later, but it's so, so worth it.

I'm startled when he sits up, kissing me deeply as we both near our peaks.

"Let me feel you," he begs.

He stares into my eyes and unless I'm completely nuts, I see pure love there. It's enough to push me over the edge, and I scream out my orgasm. One, two, three pumps later and I feel Edward coming inside me.

I collapse into his arms, my forehead resting on his shoulder while his arms hug me tightly to his body. It's right on the tip of my tongue to tell him I love him, but… would it be too soon? Would he say it back? Should I wait for him to say it first?

While I'm pondering that, Edward starts to pull away from me, smiling gently as he brushes my hair off my face. He kisses me sweetly and I melt all over again.

"If this is wrong, I don't ever want to be right," he says. "But I think we need to get up before we make a mess on the bed."

"Yeah," I chuckle, carefully lifting myself off his lap.

Even though I've packed an overnight bag, I still prefer sleeping in Edward's big t-shirts. Once I've slipped one on, I crawl into his bed, waiting for him to join me.

"You gonna leave me alone tonight?" Edward asks with a yawn as he gets into the bed next to me.

"It depends on whether or not your monster cock needs me," I grin, laying my head on his chest.

"Always."

* * *

Edward drops me off at my apartment far too early for my taste on Saturday morning. Mom wants us to have breakfast together though, and I was a bit of a procrastinator about packing my bag for Thanksgiving week.

"Oh!" I exclaim when I step in the door to the sight of Jasper in a towel. I didn't know they'd take advantage of Jake's and my absence to use our apartment!

"Never mind me, I'm just gonna go pack!" I shield my eyes as I walk quickly to my bedroom.

Ten minutes later, my packing is complete. I have my toiletries in the bag from last night, so I add that to the suitcase, then crack open my door. "Is it safe?" I yell.

"Yes!" Alice calls. "We're having breakfast."

"Who cooked?" I ask, coming into the kitchen to give her a hug.

"Jasper made omelets," she says proudly. "They're not the prettiest but they taste good. Do you want one?"

I shake my head. "I'm meeting Mom and Phil at First Watch."

"We're still on for Tuesday, right? You, me and Jake?"

"Can Edward come with us? He's not leaving for Springfield until Wednesday, and Jake has been dying to meet him properly."

"And the only way you can sneak away from the parental units to see him is with us?" she grins.

"Bingo!"

"He can come," Alice agrees.

"He seemed like a nice guy," Jasper says. "I was a bit leery of a professor dating a student, but he didn't seem like a creep."

"He's _not_ a creep. We just happened to meet on campus," I shrug. "Anyway, see you Tuesday, Al. Jasper, I guess I'll see you next week. Have fun with your family!"

This is when I hate living in a second-floor apartment with no elevator. I have to drag my heavy suitcase down a flight of stairs. Ugh, I should've asked Jasper to help.

Once I've got it in my trunk, I send a quick text to Mom to let her know I'm on my way, giving her my estimated arrival time from the Maps app on my phone.

"Hi, baby," she says, standing from her seat when I arrive. I give her a quick hug and smile at Phil before sitting down.

"It feels like ages since I've seen you," she frets.

"We had dinner last month," I remind her.

"I know, it's just… you're going to college in the same city and I hardly see you!"

"Well, for one thing, I'm over a half hour away with no traffic, and I'm busy with my schoolwork and my friends."

"Just your friends?" she asks, and I can feel my face heating up despite my best efforts. "So you have a boyfriend."

"I… am seeing someone," I confirm.

"I hope you're being safe."

"Mom!" I exclaim in mortification.

I'm saved from further humiliation when our waitress stops by to take our orders. After checking out the special seasonal menu, I order the cinnamon roll waffle, which sounds amazing.

"Do you have schoolwork to do this week?" Phil asks.

"Yes," I groan. "I have a paper due a week from Friday in my Literature class." Only Edward would assign that on the last day before a break. He still retains a few of his dickish tendencies as a professor. I would've teased him about it last night, but we made an agreement that our personal and school lives are to be totally separate.

"What kind of teacher assigns something right before the break?" Mom asks, echoing my thoughts.

"So tell us about this boyfriend," Phil says. I mean, I like him, but he's sounding like a bit like he's encroaching on Dad's territory. "I assume you met him at school."

I've already decided that I'm not going to hide Edward from my parents — or hide what he does. Just that I'm in his class.

"I did," I confirm. "His name is Edward."

"What is he majoring in?" Mom asks.

"Um, he-he's not. He's a professor who teaches junior-level writing."

"You're dating a professor?" she gasps. "Isn't that against the rules?"

"Consensual relationships are only prohibited when one person has direct evaluative or supervisory authority over the other," I reply, quoting from the handbook.

"But still…"

"How did you meet him?" Phil asks.

"In the cafeteria. I didn't realize he wasn't a student at first," I lie.

"He must be relatively young then to be a professor?"

"He just completed his PhD last February; he's 28."

"That's way too old for you!" Mom exclaims.

"I'm 19, Mom, not a baby."

"But you aren't even old enough to drink," she protests.

"Well, he doesn't really drink except in social situations where it's kind of expected. He doesn't care if he can't take me to bars." Obviously she doesn't know about my fake ID.

"But he's still so much older and more experienced than you are. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I think… getting hurt pretty much comes with growing older. If it happens, I'll live. We've only been dating for around six weeks, so don't go getting us married off already, all right?"

"When can we meet him?" Phil asks.

"Um, well, maybe over Winter Break. He's going home to see his parents this week, near Springfield, Illinois."

"What do they do?" he asks.

"His dad is an orthopedic surgeon. His mom died several years ago in a car accident, but his stepmom is an interior designer… Are we done with 20 questions now?"

"As long as we get to meet him soon," Mom says, just as our waitress delivers our meals.

* * *

Early evening on Tuesday, I head out to pick up Alice and Jake. Like nearly every time I go somewhere with my two friends, I'm the one to drive, thanks to having an SUV. Alice drives a canary yellow Porsche, while Jake has an old Volkswagen Rabbit; her car has no backseat, while his has a poor excuse for one.

"So where are we meeting Edward?" Alice asks after I've picked her up. Jake is my next stop.

"In a parking garage off Brentwood," I answer. "It seems like a good central location for both of us. He lives in Maryland Heights."

Edward said he'd park in the garage behind Maggiano's — yum, we totally need to go there one day. We discussed leaving his car at the nearby Galleria, but the mall will likely be closed by the time we get back, while some of the nearby shops and restaurants are open longer.

I pull into the garage and immediately see Edward jogging up to my car. Rolling down my window, I point to the seat behind me. "Jake needs the front for his legs."

Edward opens the back door and slides in. "Hopefully that seat has more room than behind Jake," I laugh.

"I'll live," he assures me.

Jacob turns around, holding his hand out to Edward. "Jacob Black," he says formally. He'd better be nice to Edward; I threatened to stop cooking dinner if he's not.

"Edward Cullen."

I smile as I watch the two men shake hands in the rearview mirror.

"Have you heard anything from the Dean?" Alice asks.

"No," Edward says, letting out a long breath. "I'm really not expecting anything this week." Neither am I. With the dorms closed for the week, James is in all likelihood back home in whatever small town he's from.

"Yeah," she agrees, "unless James went straight to the Dean after talking to Bella."

"I wonder if they'll investigate first or just take James's word for it," Jake muses. "I don't think he has the best reputation."

"You guys know what to say if you're contacted, right?" I verify.

"We're good, Bella, don't worry," Jake smiles.

"Thank you both for your help," Edward says. "So whose idea was that little steal-the-phone caper?"

Both Alice and I point to Jake. "I'm a bit worried about your criminal mind," I laugh.

"Hey!" he protests. "One TV in the house and if my dad was home, it was tuned to _CSI_ or _Law and Order_."

Following the directions on my phone, I pull up to the restaurant inside the city of St. Louis after just a few minutes, though it's tough to find street parking.

"I thought you said we were going to The Hill?" Edward questions as we get out of the car. "This area looks flat to me."

Jake laughs. "This area of St. Louis is called The Hill, but I have no idea why. There aren't any hills, just a number of Italian restaurants."

Inside one of those cozy, dimly lit Italian restaurants, we're led to a booth. Edward leans over to kiss me as soon as we're seated.

"Ugh, I'm surrounded by happy couples," Jake complains playfully.

"Has no one at school caught your eye?" I ask.

"No one who'd be interested," he winks, letting Alice and me know he means only _straight_ guys.

After ordering drinks, we check out the extensive menu.

"What are they known for here?" Edward asks.

"A glass shaped like a fishbowl, full of beer," Alice laughs.

"I think I'll pass then," he smiles.

"What are you getting, Jake?" I ask.

"All-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatballs… mmm-mmm," he grins widely, rubbing his stomach. I finally settle on the Portobello mushroom ravioli; ravioli tends to be one of the more reasonable-sized portions at Italian restaurants.

"Jake, what are you studying at UMSL?" Edward asks once we've placed our orders.

"Accounting," he answers. "Unlike these two Liberal Arts majors, I wanted to major in something that leads directly to a specific career. Did you major in English or Education?"

"My undergrad was English with a later Master's in Education."

"Did you always want to teach at the college level?" Alice asks. "I know you said you prefer it now."

"Yeah, pretty much," Edward nods. "I love literature and how with the written word, you can enter an entire new world. I also enjoy discussing what I've read and hearing other points of view. Teaching that kind of critical thinking seems to be limited to college-level classes these days."

"You taught Bella's AP English class, right?"

He nods. "And some sophomore and junior casses. Also, I think with my father being a surgeon, I got this drive early on to be the best a whatever I chose to be. No offense intended at all toward elementary or middle school teachers, because they have very important jobs, but for me, to be a college professor meant to be at the top of my game."

"Not to put a damper on things," Jake begins, "but what happens if James goes to the Dean and we didn't delete every single copy of the photos? Can you be fired?"

Edward sighs, taking a drink of his soda. "The possible consequences go all the way up to termination of employment." He pauses, looking over at me. "We just have to hope that you guys were successful, and that if James does squeal anyway, as I expect him to, the Dean takes our word over his."

* * *

 **A/N** : So the official length of the BDE was revealed: 8.5 inches! **k8ln713** was also the only one to guess the exact number.

Bella finally told Renee and Phil about Edward, leaving out the most damaging information. And Jake and Edward finally met! Yes, they're out on a date in St. Louis, though any students who aren't local should be out of town for the week. No one on the faculty who could recognize either of them would know that she is his student.

The title comes from Edward's final statement… they're hoping that they can weather whatever storm James throws their way.

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: While the song I chose was #1 hit in its own right, this artist is probably better known for a track from a Tom Cruise movie.


	23. Chapter 22: Shakedown

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! I want to remind everyone that this is creepy James, a college senior who has classes and other responsibilities. He is not a nomad vampire hunter with nothing better to do than follow Bella and/or Edward all over two counties in order to take more incriminating photos when he already has (or thinks he has) enough to get Edward in serious trouble.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Bob Seger went to: **2loveybunnies** , **That'sMzPeachesTYVM** , **dawnhybb** , and **GorGirl**. Also, **AbruptlyChagrined** , **TrulyOutrageous** , and **NickChick22** got the artist but not the song.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 22 – Shakedown_

After dinner, I make the short drive to the Missouri Botanical Garden for their annual Garden Glow with over one million lights.

"What happened to no Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving?" Edward teases me as he puts a beanie cap on his head.

"This isn't really Christmas; it's just holiday lights. Winter stuff," I shrug.

"Sure," he says, but he doesn't sound convinced.

As we walk through the gardens, there are several kiosks selling drinks — alcoholic or hot chocolate — snacks and desserts. We all passed on dessert at the restaurant so that we could sample the s'mores and other sweet goodies here. With the temperature in the upper 30s, it's not unbearably cold, but the flavored hot chocolate is much appreciated.

Edward and I walk along the pathway hand in hand. This whole place is amazing, and I'm so glad he was able to come with us. We're out in public, but it's dark, so we can feel relatively safe from any prying eyes that either live in the St. Louis area or haven't gone home during the break. And I imagine Edward's hat is intended to cover his hair.

Despite Alice and Jake being only a few feet in front of us, it feels so romantic to be here with my boyfriend among all of the lights.

"Just a few more weeks," he says quietly. He doesn't have to explain, as I know exactly what he means. We have just two more weeks of classes and one week of finals, and then he'll no longer be my professor. We'll no longer be breaking the school rules.

If only we can survive that long.

* * *

Two years ago when I spent Thanksgiving with Mom and her then-fiancé, Phil, our turkey dinner was like something out of a slapstick comedy — like _Christmas Vacation_ without the vacation. She literally forgot to remove the turkey's internal organs before roasting it.

Since then, she's taken several cooking classes at a local grocery store, and she believes she's up for giving it another shot. I won't be a lot of help; I've helped Sue with side dishes and pies over the last few years, but she always has the turkey in the oven before my dad and I arrive at Harry's.

I invited Jake and his dad to join us, but it turns out that they spend the holiday with the Brandons every year — with their private chef doing the cooking. I'd turn me down, too.

To my surprise — and relief — the turkey turns out great this year, and the three of us have a really nice family celebration. I do feel a bit guilty for how little time we spend together, despite my living in the same city, but college is busier than I thought it would be. Especially with having a boyfriend.

The following day, Mom and I brave the closest mall for some Black Friday shopping before heading to Target in the Valley. There's a Walmart just down the road, but she'd never set foot in that. Somehow my mother has become a snob after marrying up in the world.

Jake's basketball game is Saturday afternoon. His dad is coming to watch him play, so Alice and I invite our parents as well. Afterward, the eight of us go out for dinner together at a trendy seafood restaurant in Clayton. I think Alice's well-connected parents knew someone to get us a table here on a Saturday night.

After dinner, Alice, Jake and I return to our apartment for our last three weeks of school. Edward and Jasper are returning to St. Louis tomorrow, though we give the excuse of needing to get started on schoolwork. I really didn't get much of an opportunity to work on my assignment for Edward's class over the break, so it's not a total lie.

* * *

Edward calls me from the road to let me know what time he'll be home on Sunday. He's up for getting together, and so am I. Though I do tease him a bit first by telling him I'll be busy with an assignment that a mean old professor gave us right before the break.

I slip into his Volvo around five, then lean in for a kiss. God, I missed his lips.

"How was Thanksgiving with your family?" I ask.

"It was good," he smiles. "I really don't see them enough. We actually went out to dinner for the holiday though. Neither one of them is into spending hours slaving over a meal."

"My mom cooked the turkey this year, and I was actually impressed," I laugh. "Those cooking classes she's been taking really made a difference. I only helped a little with the sides and the pumpkin pie."

"Did you spend Thanksgiving with her last year?"

"No, just Christmas," I reply. "I've always alternated those two holidays."

"So you'll want to go back to Chicago over Winter Break?"

I nod. "At least part of the time; not the whole four weeks. I want to be wherever you are."

Edward smiles. "Maybe I can arrange a trip back to Chicago to see how Tanya's doing and check out the house at the same time."

"She didn't spend Thanksgiving with you?" I'd assumed that she would, if only to keep up appearances.

"No," he shakes his head. "She's decided to go vegan, so she had a vegan Thanksgiving with some friends. I wish you could've spent the holiday with us; I'd like you to meet my parents at some point," he adds softly.

My head whips around to stare at him. "Do they know the truth about you and Tanya?"

"They do now," he confirms. "We didn't tell anyone when we first got married, but after we realized it wasn't going to work out, I did tell them the truth. Dad understood why I did it, of course, but he wasn't happy about the potential legal trouble I'd set myself up for."

"Have you told them about me?"

"I have," he smiles. "Not that you're _my_ student, and not about knowing you in Chicago, but they know you're a student at UMSL."

"I told Mom and Phil pretty much the same about you — professor at UMSL — and also left out the part about being in your class. Unless I show them my final grades, I don't know how they'll ever find out; my schedule said Dr. Maltby was the instructor."

"Yeah," he agrees, "no one else in our lives should be able to figure out that you were ever in my class."

"Don't forget my dad," I remind him. "You've already met him at parent-teacher conferences. I don't know how we'll ever get around that — delay introducing you as long as possible and hope he forgets?"

Edward groans. "I guess if he remembers me… we'll have to admit that I was once your teacher."

"I told Mom and Phil I'd met you in the cafeteria at UMSL and didn't know you were a professor. Ugh…"

"I'm sorry," he frowns. "I know the lying can get a little… trying. And it's all more for my benefit than yours."

"Not completely," I argue. "When I first told Jake and Alice about you back in March, I didn't tell them that you were my teacher, just a random older man who turned out to be married. I-I was afraid they'd think badly about me for sleeping with my teacher. I mean, it doesn't exactly paint me in a good light. James called me a slut—"

"You are _not_ a slut," he says angrily.

"You know that's what my classmates at Lincoln Park would've called me if they'd found out about us," I reply softly.

"That doesn't make it true! Tell me you don't believe that!"

I shrug. "There's some part of me that does look back at my behavior last year and cringe. You were right that I wanted the fantasy with you, but I also dreamt about a future with you. Like, maybe we'd both end up at U of I and you'd admit your attraction for me then. I was a silly little girl," I admit.

We arrive then at the tiny sandwich shop near Forest Park and head inside. There are only five tables in the entire place, with just one elderly couple enjoying their meals. After placing our orders, Edward takes my hand across the table.

"I never thought of you as a silly little girl," he says quietly. "You were drawn to me in the same way that I was drawn to you. It doesn't have to make sense."

"Still, I'm not proud of my behavior."

"Neither am I. What I did was so wrong, and so risky…" He trails, off shaking his head.

"But we ended up Ok."

"All's well that ends well?" he questions, raising an eyebrow.

"How very literary of you," I laugh.

After dinner, we drive to the St. Louis Zoo for the Wild Lights event. Yes, more Christmas lights! Apparently this one was ranked third best in the whole _country_ last year. And it's quite a bit warmer than last Tuesday, which is a plus.

"You know, after tonight we probably can't go out anywhere _at all_ ," Edward says as we walk around the zoo. "James could go to the Dean as early as first thing tomorrow."

"I know," I sigh. "Do you really think he will if he figures out beforehand that the photos are missing from his phone? I mean, it's not like he has anything to gain exactly from getting us in trouble. Our relationship doesn't affect him in any way."

"Revenge, I suppose," he shrugs. "For the incident at the Student Center and for you turning him down. That's enough to drive some people."

"What a sad person he must be. I wonder how pissed he was — or will be — when he finds the photos missing. I'd give anything to be able to see his face," I grin. "Of course, what if he tries to get some kind of revenge on us for that? He may not be able to prove anything, or even trace it back to the party that night, but he'll _know_ who was responsible."

"We'll weather this, Bella," he says, stopping in front of one of the displays. "Whatever gets thrown at us, we can handle it — together."

"Together," I agree, standing on my tiptoes so I can kiss him.

The Wild Lights event ends at 8:30, so it's still relatively early when we pull into my apartment complex.

"I wish I could invite you up," I pout, "but I imagine Alice and/or Jake is home. Did I tell you I came home to Jasper in a _towel_ last weekend? Ugh!"

"No," Edward laughs.

"He doesn't look half as good as you," I grin.

Edward leans over, leaving several soft kisses on my lips. "I'll see you soon, Ok?"

I nod, smiling, when I really just want to say, "I love you."

* * *

No more than five minutes before the end of my Astronomy class on Thursday, there's a knock at the door. The professor moves to answer it, and after a whispered conversation, he nods and closes the door again.

After finishing the rest of the lecture, he dismisses class for the day, then calls, "Ms. Swan!"

"What can I do for you?" I ask as I button my coat.

"Ms. Salamon is waiting in the hallway. She would like to speak with you."

"Oh," I frown. "All right."

Stepping out of the room, I spot a dark-haired woman in a business suit. She looks to be no more than a few years older than me.

"Ms. Swan?" she questions, and I nod. "Dr. Thiel would like to speak with you. She's the Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences," she adds. "I believe this is your last class of the day?"

"Um, yes," I reply, my heart beginning to pound.

"Could you follow me, please?"

"She wants to meet with me _now_?"

"Yes," the woman smiles. "It's just upstairs."

My head reeling, I follow her up the stairs to the floor with the staff offices. I know exactly what Dr. Thiel wants to talk with me about; James must have squealed. I wish I had the opportunity to warn Edward that hell is about to rain down on us, but there's no way I can send him a text message with this woman next to me.

Ms. Salamon seems very pleasant, but then I wonder if she has any idea why the Dean needs to speak to me. Probably not, if she's some sort of support staff. I have to admit that I'd expected an email with an appointment time, or maybe a phone call. I certainly didn't expect to be summoned and then walked up to the Dean's office.

"Please take a seat, and I'll let her know you're here," she says, pointing toward a hard plastic chair.

Giving her a strained smile, I take my seat, wondering if she's going to leave me alone long enough to pull out my phone. Alas, she remains in the doorway as I hear her announce, "Isabella Swan is here."

I can't hear the reply, but Ms. Salamon walks back over toward me. "She'll be ready for you in just a minute or two."

"All right," I nod with another smile. The woman takes a seat at a desk nearby and begins typing on her computer. I think about sneaking my phone out of my purse, but decide it's too risky.

After maybe two minutes, the office door opens. "Ms. Swan?" the middle-aged blonde woman asks.

I hurriedly stand up, walking toward her. "H-hello," I greet her, shaking her outstretched hand. _Game on, Bella._

"Please come in," she directs. "You can hang your coat up on the hook on the back of the door."

Once I've set my bags on the floor and hung up my coat, I take a seat in the leather-backed chair in front of her desk, crossing my legs in what I hope is a nonchalant manner. I'm supposed to have no idea why I'm here, after all.

"I'm Dr. Thiel, the Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences," she introduces herself.

"Pleased to meet you."

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're here," she says with a small smile.

"Yes," I chuckle.

"Well, I'm sorry to say that someone has come forth with a rather disturbing allegation against you." She pauses, looking me directly in the eye. I imagine she's looking for a response, but I have to play innocent.

"I… disturbing?" I question. "I've never cheated on a test in my life, Dr. Thiel." Which is the god's honest truth.

"Not… that kind of allegation," she explains. "Someone has reported to us that several weeks ago, you were observed locked in a passionate embrace with your Literature professor, Dr. Cullen."

* * *

 **A/N** : So Thanksgiving break is over, and James has apparently squealed! Game on, Bella!

I literally sent moosals the UMSL administration org chart and said, "Which one do you think James would go to?" We settled on the Dean for the College of Arts & Sciences, who really is a female. James is a misogynist who assumed the Dean would be male in his earlier conversations with Bella.

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: What is Bella planning to tell the Dean? A new wave song by a British group that was #1 on the US dance charts but only reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.


	24. Chapter 23: Lies

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story! At least you all agree that you hate James.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from the Thompson Twins went to: **edaddict3254** , **Midnight Cougar** , **sherylb** , **MissyDy** , **SassYNoleS** , **Scoobylover68** , **NKubie** , **MsAndreaRenee** , and **dawnhybb**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 23 – Lies_

"Someone said _what_?" I exclaim. God, I hope that one school play that Angela talked me into doing with her is paying off right now.

"Do you deny that you're in sexual relationship with Dr. Cullen?"

"Yes, of course," I maintain.

"Do you deny that you were with Dr. Cullen at Dave & Buster's on…" she pauses, picking up a sheet of paper, "October 21, 2017?"

I chuckle nervously. "I feel a bit like Bill Clinton here. It depends on your definition of 'with'."

"Please explain," she demands.

"Well, I _did_ go to Dave & Buster's with my friends one night in October, but I can't be sure of the date without checking my calendar. I bumped into Dr. Cullen there and spoke to him briefly. We weren't there _together_."

"I see," she nods, looking like she doesn't actually see at all. "Tell me about your relationship with Dr. Cullen."

I look at her with what I hope are wide, innocent eyes. "We don't have a relationship, Dr. Thiel. However, I _did_ know him before starting at UMSL."

"Oh?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"My transcripts should show that I graduated from Lafayette High School last May. However, up until the last semester of my senior year, I lived with my father in Chicago and attended Lincoln Park High School, which is where Dr. Cullen taught for several years. He was my AP English teacher."

"Why change high schools with only one semester left?"

Edward and I went back and forth over which story to give her here. I didn't want to mention a failed relationship at all, while he felt that I should give her the option that can't be easily verified.

"I'd broken up with my boyfriend shortly before Thanksgiving, and… it was hell surviving those last few weeks of the semester having to see him at school every day. He had also told his friends some less than flattering things about me after our break-up. When I visited my mother over Christmas break, she suggested that I come stay with her and her new husband."

"I see," she nods. "And you and Mr. Cullen both ended up at UMSL?"

"Believe me, both of us were totally shocked on the first day of class!" I can honestly tell her. "I hadn't made the decision to attend UMSL until after I moved to the area."

"All right, so the two of you spoke briefly at Dave & Buster's."

I nod.

"Why then do you think someone would report to us that the two of you had been seen kissing?"

"I-I honestly don't know. I don't recall seeing anyone else from school there that night. Are you allowed to tell me who reported us?" I'd love to tell her what I think about James.

She looks at me for a moment, her lips firmly pressed together.

"It wasn't a senior by the name of James Hunter, by any chance?" I offer when it looks like she's not going to reveal her source.

"Do you know him?"

I roll my eyes. "We've never been formally introduced, but we've had a couple of run-ins."

"Can you think of any reason why he would give us a false story?" she asks.

I nod. "James… propositioned me a few weeks ago, and I turned him down. He didn't seem very happy about it."

"Propositioned?"

"Let's just say he wanted to jump straight to the end of the third date."

"So you think he may be trying to exact some sort of payback?"

"Possibly," I nod. "It wasn't my first unpleasant encounter with him."

"Go on."

I take a deep breath. This is the part that worries me the most — explaining Edward's presence at my birthday party. "Our first run-in was at a birthday get-together that my friends threw for me at the Student Center back in September. My friend Jake is on the basketball team, and he invited all the guys on the team to stop by. He doesn't really like James, but James hangs around with the team, and so Jake kind of had to invite him along with everyone else."

"Go on," Dr. Thiel prompts again when I pause.

"My friends and I were playing pool when James came up behind me, ostensibly to teach me how to play. However, he… well, I think he was trying to hit on me, but he was standing way too close and didn't seem to get the message that he was making me uncomfortable. When I finally yelled at him to get away from me, Dr. Cullen sort of shoved him away, and after that Jake asked James to leave."

"Dr. Cullen was at a student's birthday party?"

I shake my head. "He wasn't invited. He said he'd stopped by The Nosh to get dinner and saw us there with the cake and everything. He came by to wish me a happy birthday, but when he saw what James was doing, he intervened."

"Why didn't one of your friends help you?" she asks.

"Jake and Alice were playing pool with me, but Alice's back was turned and Jake had just gone to get a drink when James approached. Maybe James was…" I frown as the thought jumps into my brain for the first time. "He might have waited until Jake was out of the picture before he approached me."

"I see," she nods. "I'm wondering then why he waited so long after supposedly observing the two of you kissing before coming to us."

I shrug. "He may not have known initially that Dr. Cullen is actually a professor."

"That seems likely," Dr. Thiel agrees. "Dr. Cullen is new to UMSL and he's not that much older than most graduate students. Perhaps James only recently found out that Dr. Cullen is a professor and that you're in one of his classes."

"And after I turned down his, er… invitation," I remind her. I really hope she's buying my story. As Edward and I had discussed, I stuck to the truth as much as possible.

"Why didn't you file a complaint about Mr. Hunter's behavior?"

"Well, I felt kind of silly for being so upset. He was hitting on me in a room full of people, so nothing was likely to happen."

"But he's made you feel uncomfortable twice now," she points out.

"Yes."

"There have been a handful of complaints about him over the last three and a half years, though nothing was ever substantiated." Dr. Thiel watches me closely. "I'm sure you understand that we have to investigate all reports of inappropriate conduct, no matter how untrustworthy the source."

 _Oh shit!_ My heart starts pounding again. What if they've found someone else to corroborate James's story?

"We are aware that both you and Dr. Cullen were at Lincoln Park High School at the same time, though your transcript from your senior year shows only your teachers from Lafayette. I'm pleased that you volunteered this information readily, rather than hiding it."

"I have nothing to hide, Dr. Thiel."

She nods. "Mr. Hunter was unable to provide the names of anyone who could corroborate his story, nor did he offer any proof. I am tending to agree with you that coming forward was an act of revenge for refusing his advances."

I can almost, but not quite, let out that breath I've been holding. It sounds like we _did_ find and delete all copies of the photos.

"We will have to verify your story against what Dr. Cullen has to say, but if we have any more questions, we'll contact you via email, all right?"

"Ok." I give her a small smile.

"You may leave now," she returns my smile.

Hoping that my legs aren't shaking, I stand, grabbing my coat from the hook and opening the door.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Swan."

"Good afternoon," I nod, throwing my coat over my arm.

"Have a good day!" the woman who'd come looking for me says with a big smile once I've stepped out of the Dean's office.

"Thank you," I manage as I practically run out of there. I head straight for the nearest ladies room and lock myself in a stall, then pull out my phone. I'm pretty sure Edward only teaches morning classes on Thursday, so he's not in class right now. I just hope he's alone.

 _Just talked to Dr. Thiel. I think she bought the story! You'll be called in soon. Delete this._

I wait on pins and needles for some sort of response.

 **Thanks.**

And now I can let out that breath. Edward is the next one in front of the firing squad, but at least he has some time to prepare.

* * *

 **I think we're good. Meet you at Bread Co 6pm?**

I can finally breathe again after seeing Edward's text. I assume "I think we're good" means he's spoken to Dr. Thiel and she bought his story, too.

 _K_ , I text back, before I remember that he hates it when I don't use complete sentences… or words.

Just one minute late, I pull into the parking lot of the same St. Louis Bread Co. where Edward told me his story over two months ago. Opening the door, I'm surprised to see him standing there in front of the case of pastries.

"Hey," he breathes, wrapping his arms tightly around me. "It's gonna be Ok," he whispers.

Once he's let me go, Edward smiles at me, taking my face in his hands and softly kissing my lips. "Do you want to get something to eat?" he offers, and I nod my agreement.

After we've ordered, I take my drink cup over to the fountain. Edward has just a bottle of lemonade again, making me smile at the memory. Our same booth from last time is open, and he chooses that while I'm filling my cup.

"So the Dean called you in this afternoon?" I ask as soon as I've sat down.

"Yeah," he nods. "Thanks for the warning."

"At least one of us got one."

He looks at me questioningly.

"One of the office support staff showed up at the end of my Astronomy class and told me the Dean wanted to speak with me upstairs."

Our buzzer goes off suddenly, and Edward stands to get our dinner. I enjoy the view of his backside. Sue me, it's been nearly two weeks since we've had sex!

"I wasn't sure she was buying the story at first, but once I asked her who had turned us in, things started to go better," I explain once he's sat back down. "She seemed to believe and connect with the idea that James would try to get some sort of retribution for his spurned advances." Given the whole #MeToo thing going on right now, it wouldn't surprise me if Dr. Thiel faced something like that herself earlier in her career.

Edward nods, giving me a small smile. "That's great. That part of the story obviously wasn't something she and I discussed, since I only saw James the one time."

"Are we really all good then?" I ask. "Your story matched mine and she believed us?"

"She believes we're not having an affair," he confirms, and I breathe a sigh of relief. "However, based on my having you in class earlier and some of my answers to her questions, she isn't certain that I can be 100% objective with you."

"What do you mean? You treat me like anyone else in class. You always have." Even after we had sex for the first time, he gave me a B-minus!

"I told her the truth, Bella — that you'd been one of my top students back in Chicago. She could tell that I hold some… fondness for you, I think was her word. As far as she knows, I stopped by and wished you a happy birthday and I spoke to you that night at Dave & Buster's."

"So what does this mean?" I ask, starting to panic.

"Relax, baby," he says, reaching across the table to take my hand. "Dr. Thiel would like Dr. Wall, who teaches the other section of your course, to take another look at your work to make sure that it's been graded objectively. I'm sure he won't find any problems because you're right, I'm able to shut off my feelings for you when I'm grading your essays. It's just a precaution."

"Ok," I sigh. "So… do you know what happens to James now?"

"I imagine nothing," he shrugs. "They might tell him that they investigated and found no wrongdoing. No one can prove whether he made the whole thing up as some kind of revenge."

"Dr. Thiel mentioned there have been unsubstantiated complaints against James during his time as UMSL. I wish they would've been able to verify those; maybe he wouldn't even have been at UMSL anymore."

"I need you to be very careful now, Bella," Edward says. "I don't trust that guy. I don't trust that he won't try to hurt you once he realizes his plot failed. Please don't go anywhere where you might run across him other than the cafeteria. That means no frat parties."

I think back to Jake's comment that there were rumors James had roofied a couple of girls. "I'll be careful," I promise. "Do you think he'll approach me about the deleted photos? He's gotta know I was at least involved."

Edward nods slowly. "I don't think I'll be surprised if he does. I wish I could just wrap you up and keep you safe."

I smile. "Maybe Jake can be my bodyguard again tomorrow. I don't think he's leaving for their next game in Kirksville until Saturday morning."

"That would make me feel a lot better," Edward agrees. "How about dinner at home tomorrow night? Then I pretty much need to spend the weekend grading." Yeah, because my class's papers are due tomorrow!

"Dinner, and then… Netflix and chill?"

"I love your one-track mind sometimes," he grins. "I know you hate it, but I've been wanting to actually try that St. Louis pizza. Can we get that?"

I groan dramatically. "Well, they also sell pastas and sandwiches, so… I'll live."

* * *

 **A/N** : They're safe! For now, anyway, as Edward is worried about James trying to get revenge once he finds out his dastardly plot failed.

Many of you suggested that Bella should try to say that James misconstrued something innocent, but she went the other possible route and claimed that he hadn't seen anything untoward at all. She had the truth on her side about James's behavior, which was enough to convince the Dean. Edward isn't quite as good of an actor, apparently, and couldn't 100% hide his feelings for Bella.

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: Kind of a joke, but it's yet another title for two separate songs (at least) recorded by different artists. I'm sure someone guessed it the last time!


	25. Chapter 24: The Power of Love

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story!

I stumped everyone again this week with the chapter title! Besides the Huey Lewis and the News version, there is a total different song done by Jennifer Rush, Air Supply, and Laura Branigan in the 80s, as well as Celine Dion in the 90s.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 24 – The Power of Love_

Jake does agree to come to campus early to act as my bodyguard on Friday morning through lunch. He's got his own two classes to attend during the afternoon. There's no sign of James, but then we don't know if he's aware yet that the investigation found in our favor and not his — or if they'll tell him at all. I also have no idea of his schedule and when he's usually out and about on campus.

Early that evening, I call in an order to the Imo's most convenient to Edward's house. They seem to be the most famous local St. Louis style pizza place. After checking out their menu online, I realize that the pastas and sandwiches also have provel cheese. Since I can only tolerate it in shredded form like on salads, I just order myself a deluxe salad. I also order us an appetizer of another St. Louis tradition, toasted ravioli, which I'm not sure Edward has tried yet.

After picking up our food, I send Edward a text to let him know I'm on my way and then drive the rest of the way to his house. He has the door open for me when I arrive, which is good seeing as my hands are full. He immediately takes the pizza box and bag from my hand, carrying them into the kitchen while I leave my overnight bag in the foyer.

"No pizza for you?" he teases, noticing there's just one Medium box.

"I got a salad and toasted ravioli to split. Have you tried that yet?"

"I have," he nods. "It was an appetizer at a restaurant where I went out to eat with some colleagues. I'm not sure why it's called toasted when it's deep fried."

"Yeah, me neither," I laugh.

I watch Edward's face carefully when he opens the pizza box. I wish I could tell what he's thinking. Reaching in, he pulls out a few squares, setting them on a place.

"Interesting way to cut it," he notes.

"The square beyond compare," I quote their slogan.

"I wasn't sure I could eat a pizza this large along with an appetizer, but now that I see how thin it is, I think you got the right size. Have you actually tried this yourself or do you not like it on principle?"

I nod. "Alice made me try it not long after I moved here. I think it's like tradition to make newcomers try it. I can't believe it took you nearly four months."

I look up from pouring the yummy Imo's house dressing over my salad to watch Edward's face as he takes his first bite. He chews then takes another bite, not saying a word.

"Well?" I finally prompt.

"The cheese is a bit different, but it's good," he shrugs. "I don't know what you complain about."

Scowling, I turn back to my salad.

At some point, I get curious enough to actually try a slice of Edward's pizza. I mean, I'd ordered him my favorite toppings since he hadn't specified any, and he really seems to like the pizza.

Nope, still can't do it.

"Your face," Edward laughs.

"Maybe your hometown was just close enough to St. Louis that you inherited the taste for weird cheese," I muse.

"Maybe," he agrees. "Can I try some of your salad?"

"Oh, sure." I hand the container to him.

Once we've cleaned up our few dishes from dinner, Edward and I get comfortable on the couch and he looks through the selection of DVDs he brought with him from Chicago. After choosing one, he lifts his arm, letting me cuddle up against his side, right where I want to be.

Leaning in, he kisses me softly. "I'm glad you're here. We made it through to the other side."

"Is it bad that we're both good liars?"

He chuckles. "We stuck mostly to the truth."

"I know you say that it's not my fault, but if you'd lost your job because of our relationship…"

"Hey," he whispers, his finger under my chin. "I didn't lose my job. But… I think… I should start looking for another job for next Fall."

"What?!" I exclaim.

"I can't imagine hiding our relationship for the next three years," he explains. "It'll be so much easier if I'm not teaching at the same college you're attending. There are several other options around St. Louis, so I'll start sending out my resume soon."

"It would be easier," I agree. I'm just glad he plans to stay in the area.

"So you're on board?"

"Definitely." I cuddle up against his side as the previews end so we can watch the movie.

Surprisingly, there's nothing more than some light touches and soft nibbles on my neck during the movie. I suppose I could initiate something, but I'm actually really enjoying the movie.

When it's over, Edward gets up to take the DVD out of the machine and put it back in its case, while I remain seated, eagerly anticipating whatever is coming next.

Walking back over to me, he grabs my hands, tugging me to my feet. "You're mine," he growls.

"Yours," I agree. "And you can do whatever you want with me."

He smiles, brushing my hair out of my face. "It's too bad that's not actually my couch, or I'd bend you over the end of it."

"That sounds like fun," I grin. The couch is much softer than his desk!

"I want to have you on every flat surface in this house," he whispers.

"Oh," I moan, a puddle forming in my panties. God, I love it when he's uninhibited like this.

"You like that idea, too — don't you, my little vixen?"

And with that, I throw my arms around Edward's neck, letting my kisses show him exactly how much I like that idea.

"Get on the floor," he says in a rough voice. Confused, I kneel down right where I'm standing. Edward walks over toward the gas fireplace and flips the switch to turn it on, then pulls the blanket from the back of the couch and lays it out in front of the fireplace.

"Come over here and take your clothes off," he demands. Pleased that he was worried about me getting cold, I hurriedly strip out of my clothes, awaiting my next instruction.

Edward unbuttons his dress shirt, then removes his t-shirt as well. He unzips his pants, then walks over to me. "Suck my cock since you love him so much."

On my knees, I reach into his boxers and pull out his warm hard cock. Wrapping my mouth around the head, I get it nice and wet. Using my hand on the rest, I begin sucking and licking, listening for his little moans of pleasure. I find that giving him pleasure is actually turning _me_ on.

"Open wide and stay very still," he orders suddenly. My eyes widen a bit. I think he's going to help me deep throat.

Very slowly, he begins to slide that 8.5-inch cock into my mouth. There's just no way it'll all fit without choking me. I really try to relax my throat, but I still gag and he quickly pulls it back out.

"Has anyone been able to deep throat that thing?" I cough. "Could Tanya?"

"No, but there was a girl in college who could. Most impressive thing I ever saw," he chuckles, laughing even harder at my glare. One day I will master it.

"Get on your hands and knees."

 _That's more like it._ I feel Edward getting to his knees behind me. His hands rub my ass cheeks before moving further down to stroke my pussy. The hair has mostly grown back in now, though it's still very short.

"You are so wet," he purrs. "Do you like sucking cock, Isabella?"

"I like making you feel good," I tell him honestly. Just as he's making me feel good right now.

I feel the rounded head of the BDE positioned at my entrance, moaning as it slowly slides inside. He pulls out just as slowly, then inches back in again. I know he's trying to drive me crazy and make me beg for his cock. Not gonna do it though.

Yeah, after two minutes of his teasing, I'm ready to change my tune. "Edward!" I cry.

He laughs. "I wondered how long it would take before you're begging for my cock. Hang on tight!"

"Oh!" I yelp as he pushes in hard on the next pass. I'm moaning like a porn star in no time as he thrusts over and over. When I can't support myself anymore, I drop down to my forearms, moaning even louder at what the change in angle is doing to me.

"Is this… what you wanted?" he pants.

"Yes!" I scream, half in pleasure and half answering his question.

Edward's hands are all over me, rubbing my back and my ass, one even reaches around to tug on my nipple. When his other hand ends up on my clit, I start mumbling incoherently. I'll be feeling this for a week, but I'm loving every second of it right now.

I come with a loud scream, but he never even slows down. My boyfriend has some serious stamina when he wants to.

"Oh god… oh god… " I chant.

My second orgasm hits even harder than the first. I'm still shaking when Edward finally freezes, grunting loudly with his own release. He pulls out and I collapse down to the floor.

Good lord… I remember thinking after our first time that I'd been fucked within an inch of my life. I had no earthly idea then.

I'm vaguely aware of Edward moving, and then a few moments later, a warm wet washcloth between my legs.

"You need to sit up a little," he says quietly. Somehow I succeed.

By the time he returns again, I've rolled over onto my back so that I can watch him. I kinda love the way his flaccid dick bounces when he walks. I'm so weird.

"Are you all right?" he chuckles, bending over for a kiss.

"No, I'm dead."

That just makes him chuckle even louder. He scoots his arms underneath me, then somehow manages to stand with me in his arms. Carrying me down the hallway, he lays me gently on his bed.

"Catch!" he says, tossing a t-shirt my way. I really am starting to get chilly now away from the fire with a light sheen of sweat on my skin.

Edward disappears again, coming back wearing his boxers. "I turned off the fireplace," he says, crawling onto the bed. He pulls me close, stealing another kiss. "Did you like that?"

"What gave it away?" I ask wryly, making him smile.

* * *

After breakfast the next morning, I reluctantly leave Edward's arms to go back to my apartment. He has to grade the papers we turned in yesterday. I also have finals starting in a week, which means I should be studying.

Yeah, I'm still feeling the BDE as I climb the steps to my apartment. _Ouch!_ I cover my eyes as I open the door, since I see Jasper's car outside. I learned my lesson after the first time.

"It's safe, Bella!" Alice yells, and I slowly bring my hand down to see her and Jasper sitting on the floor in front of the couch. "We're studying — want to join us?"

"Sure," I smile. "Let me get my books."

Dropping my overnight bag in my room, I pick up one of my books then gingerly join Alice and Jasper on the floor.

"Oh my god," Alice snorts. "Someone had a good night last night."

"Shut it," I growl. "You remember what we discussed?" I subtly remind her of Edward's size, but I don't want to say more and make Jasper feel inadequate.

She laughs. "So how did Edward like the Imo's last night?"

"He liked it!" I complain, still stung by the "betrayal" of a non-native St. Louisan. "I said maybe Jacksonville was close enough to St. Louis that he got your weird taste buds."

The three of us spend the afternoon studying together. I really wish Jake was here, because he's the only one of the four of us with any talent in math. I never took AP Calculus in high school, so I'm stuck taking college-level math now.

After several hours, our stomachs are growling so loudly that we can no longer concentrate. Not wanting to order pizza, we send Jasper out to go through the Steak'n'Shake drive-thru.

"So," Alice grins as soon as he's out the door, "you and Edward stayed in last night?"

"Netflix and chill after dinner! Well, actually we watched a DVD," I laugh.

She high-fives me, making me laugh harder. "I guess it's not really that fun though. You _have_ to stay in, right?"

"Yeah," I nod, "at least until the end of the semester. And really, we probably have to be careful all Spring, too. Even if we're not breaking the rules then, if she finds out, the Dean might reconsider believing our stories that we're not involved _now_."

"That's true," she agrees with a frown. "Damn that James for squealing."

"Oh, guess what? Edward is gonna start looking for a new job for next Fall. Still in town, of course," I add quickly. "But if he works somewhere else, we won't have to hide."

"That seems like a good idea. It sucks that you guys can't really do things together on campus. I understand now why you didn't go to the campus Halloween party."

"Yeah, maybe if we'd planned it well in advance, we could've found a costume for Edward where his entire face was covered," I chuckle.

"Oh! Oh! I know! He could be Godzilla, and you'd be… whoever the girl is that he holds in his hand."

"That's _King Kong_ ," I laugh. "And it's a movie, not a book."

"So?"

"So I only do book characters," I shrug, making her throw a pillow at me.

"You guys are seriously made for each other," she smiles, turning serious for a moment. "Have you said the L word yet?"

"No, not yet," I sigh, "but I really think I love him. I'm just scared to say it first. I agree with you that we're made for each other. I mean, our attraction is definitely physical and I do love his huge dick, but… we share this love for literature. We understand each other. We get into some of the most passionate discussions in his class that I have to hold myself back sometimes."

She smiles. "Sounds like love to me."

* * *

 **A/N** : Get the joke with the title? Bella certainly learned about the "power" of the BDE the hard way. Or rather the fun way. She's still chicken to say the L-word though.

Several of you wondered last chapter what would happen if their relationship is outed in the future, once she's not his student. Edward has decided to look for a new job so that won't be an issue.

Has anyone who's visited ever tried St. Louis style pizza? It's not really sold outside the area for a reason! As a non-native, I think it's all right, but if I am craving pizza, that's not what I want.

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: A late-decade #1 hit by a Boston-area band.


	26. Chapter 25: Hangin' Tough

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story!

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from New Kids on the Block went to: **2loveybunnies** , **Midnight Cougar** , **SassYNoleS** , and **galaxy69uk**. Also kudos to **monica03** , **Taylor9901** , **dawnhybb** , and **That'sMzPeachesTYVM** for guessing the right band.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 25 – Hangin' Tough_

It's the last week of classes before finals week, and I'm both excited and nervous. Excited because the semester is almost over, and nervous because I'm still wondering when or if James will confront me about the photos I deleted from his phone.

There's no sign of James on Tuesday, and then Jake graciously agrees to be my bodyguard again on Wednesday morning through lunchtime. Still no sign of James.

On Thursday morning, Jake's old Rabbit dies on the way to his 8am class. Alice is still in bed, but I'm at least awake and showered since I have class at 9:30. He has AAA tow his car to the garage, then sends me an SOS text to meet him there.

"Thanks, Bella, you're a life saver," he smiles as he gets in my car. "Maybe I won't be _too_ late," he frowns, checking the time on his phone.

"I'll drop you off as close to your classroom as I can," I promise.

"We've got a game tonight against William Jewell," he reminds me. "Do you think you'll be able to pick me up afterward?"

"Alice can't do it?" I have a paper due tomorrow for one of my classes, which I really need to finish up.

"No," he shakes his head. "She's got that outing with the student government tonight."

"Oh yeah, I remember now," I nod. "Sure, I can pick you up."

Once my afternoon Astronomy class is over, I go to the Quiet Lounge to finish my paper and then start studying for next week's finals. After getting a bite to eat at The Nosh, I drive to the arena parking lot, so Jake and I don't have a long walk to my car after the game.

I find a couple people I know from class and sit with them during the basketball game. It's tied at 40 going into halftime, which I gather is somewhat of a surprise, since William Jewell is unbeaten and we have already lost three games.

We end up winning 77-74, making the crowd go wild with excitement. Even if I still don't understand the sport, I'm happy that Jake played a great game.

I follow the crowd down to the first floor of the arena and use the ladies room, then find the Tritons' locker room and hang around outside, waiting for Jake to shower and dress. Pulling out my phone, I send him a quick text to let him know where I am.

"How'd you do it?" a male voice asks.

I nearly jump a mile in the air, looking up into the face of James Hunter. I'm surprised that he actually looks more curious than angry.

"How'd you do it?" he repeats when I don't reply.

"Do what?" I ask in confusion.

"You know what! Delete the photos from my phone."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lie.

"Don't give me that shit. I couldn't find the photos of you and your boyfriend on my phone last week. How'd you delete them?"

"I didn't delete any photos," I lie.

"Maybe not by yourself," he allows, "but Jake must've helped you. Did he steal my phone from the locker room during a practice?"

"How would he be able to steal your phone and do anything to it? You've got it passcode-protected, don't you? If you don't, you're dumber than I thought," I add, hoping it doesn't antagonize him more.

James looks angry for a moment, but then his anger turns to a pensive look. He knows I'm right and that Jake couldn't have just grabbed his phone at some random moment and unlocked it by himself.

"You think you've gotten away with it, huh?" he growls, suddenly grabbing my wrist. "You think you've bested me?"

"Let go of me!" I yell.

"Nobody makes James Hunter look like a fool," he says through clenched teeth, bringing his face closer to mine. Ugh, he's got bad breath, too.

It's relatively quiet in the arena, with most students already gone. There's no one here to save me but me. And so I do what I learned in a self-defense class back in Chicago. Using all of my strength, I bring my knee up, slamming it into James's groin.

"Fuck!" he screams, staggering backwards. "You bitch!"

He lunges for me, but I'm able to duck out of the way. Unfortunately, I'm more or less trapped against the wall and he easily catches up with me. Grabbing my left wrist hard, he slams me into the wall.

"You're gonna pay for that, you fucking bitch!"

"Let go!" I scream. "You're hurting me!"

"James!" a female voice yells out. I turn my head toward the sound. "Get away from her right now!"

"Or what?" he sneers, his grip tightening painfully on my wrist.

"Or I open this door," the beautiful blonde woman says, her hand on the door to the locker room. "You don't want the coaches to overhear and find out what an asshole you are, do you?"

Without even waiting for his reply, she throws the door open. "Emmett!" she yells.

Wearing only his boxers, Jake's friend Emmett appears in the doorway within seconds. "Get the fuck off of her!" he yells, running toward us.

James lets go of my arm to face Emmett, who cocks his right arm back before landing a hard punch to James's mouth. I barely manage to get out of the way before he slams into the wall, then falls to his knees.

"What's going on out here?" a bearded man asks, running out of the locker room.

"Your little assistant was assaulting this woman," the blonde says, pointing to James. "How many times do you have to hear that he's trouble before you guys start to believe it?"

"The bitch assaulted me first!" James whines, cupping his hand over his balls.

"No, she didn't," she argues, turning to the coach. "I saw everything with my own eyes. He had a hold of her wrist before she kneed him."

"You need to work on that aim of yours, Bella," Emmett says, flexing his right hand. "He should've been incapacitated from a knee between the legs."

"My aim was fine," I retort. "I can't help it if the target was so tiny."

"I'm Coach Shaw," the bearded man says, coming over to where I'm cradling my aching wrist in my hand. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"James started accusing me of stealing his phone and then he grabbed me. He wouldn't let go!" I cry, the fear just now starting to manifest, even though I know I'm safe.

"Let me see your wrist," he says gently.

When I show it to him, he pulls my sleeve back, revealing angry red marks in the shape of James's fingers.

"Emmett, please call campus security," he says calmly.

"With pleasure," Emmett growls, heading back into the locker room.

"Are you all right, Ma'am? Do you need to see a medic? I can get you an ice pack."

"I-I think it's Ok," I stutter, flexing my fingers. "Probably gonna bruise."

"Get up," he orders James, pulling him by the arm. The look James gives me is lethal.

"Are you really all right?" the blonde woman asks quietly, motioning for me to step aside.

"Yes," I nod. "Thank you so much for intervening."

She gives me a small smile. "James has gotten away with enough shit because no one would actually do anything about his behavior. I'm Rosalie, by the way — Emmett's girlfriend."

"It's nice to meet you," I reply, doing my best to return her smile. I thought she looked familiar; now I remember seeing her photo in Emmett's room at the frat house.

"Bella!" Jake yells, rushing out of the locker room. "Are you all right? Emmett just told me what happened."

"I'm all right. Thanks to Rosalie and Emmett."

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asks, wrapping an arm around me.

"No!" Rosalie interjects. "Coach Shaw had Emmett call campus security. She's going to tell them her story and maybe that asshole will finally be expelled."

"I'll be right here with you," Jake says, hugging me to him.

A half hour later, I've repeated my story to campus security and lodged a formal complaint against James Hunter. Both Rosalie and Emmett saw him grabbing me and are willing to state as much on the record, and the marks on my wrist confirm it.

All I can do is tell them that I don't know why James thinks I had anything to do with missing photos on his phone. When the idiot pulls his phone out to show them, he unlocks it with his thumb, lending credence to my story that Jake or I couldn't possibly have taken the phone without his knowledge and deleted anything from it. I can tell that the security officer doesn't really believe there were any photos in the first place.

Jake and I walk out to my car with his arm around me protectively. "I shouldn't have asked you to pick me up tonight," he frets.

"No, it-it was probably gonna happen anyway. He would've found me sometime. Maybe he'll actually get in trouble this time?"

"Maybe," he allows. "I guess someone had to be brave enough to file a formal complaint."

"Rosalie didn't exactly give me much of a choice," I point out. I'm not upset though — I'd love to see James gone from UMSL as much as anyone; Edward and I have a whole semester of hiding our relationship ahead of us.

"Can you drive?" Jake asks as we near my car.

"Yes." I roll my eyes. My wrist hurts, but it's my left one and I'm right-handed.

Alice still isn't home when Jake and I arrive. Saying goodnight to him, I undress and get ready for bed, then take a couple of Tylenol for my wrist.

I know I'm going to need to tell Edward about this. He'll see the bruises on my arm when we go out Saturday night, if nothing else. I'm afraid to tell him now, before I see him in class tomorrow, in case he's not able to avoid showing his concern for me. James may actually be lucky if he gets expelled, because if Edward runs into him after this, he just may want to kill him.

* * *

"BDE" sends me a text on Saturday afternoon, confirming plans for our date. We couldn't go out Friday night, since there was a big freshmen celebration for reaching the end of our first semester — minus finals, of course. It was cold enough that I was wearing long sleeves, but Alice still saw the bruises on my wrist when I reached for something across the table. She was livid when Jake and I explained what happened; due to our busy schedules, I hadn't had a chance to tell her sooner. Maybe _she's_ the one James should be worried about instead of Edward.

I have no idea what Edward has planned for tonight, just that we are actually going out somewhere. I'm surprised he would risk it, but he promises it'll be fine.

"Brrrr!" I rub my hands together as soon as I slip into Edward's Volvo.

"Were you waiting long?" he asks, his brow furrowed in concern.

"No, only about a minute." I can't help it if I'm a wimp when it comes to the cold.

"I pre-heated your seat for you," he says as he pulls out of the apartment complex.

I smile widely. "You're the best boyfriend."

"I try," he replies, winking at me.

"So where are we going?"

"The restaurant is a bit out of town," he answers vaguely. "I'm not sure you'd know where it is if I tell you, but I heard some of my colleagues talking about it this week. One of them said he and his wife go there every year on their anniversary."

"Sounds nice. Am I dressed Ok?" I'm just wearing leggings and a long sweater since I've been studying all day.

Edward glances over at me. "I'm sure you're fine. You love showing off your legs to me, don't you?"

"I wanted to be comfortable!" I protest. And if it drives him crazy, all the better.

This restaurant really is in the middle of nowhere, as we exit I-44 a few miles past Six Flags then turn north onto a winding two-lane road for several miles. We've barely reached what I would call a town when Edward turns into a parking lot.

Inside, the dining room is homey, with a fireplace along one wall. I feel like I'm in someone's house. The menu is surprisingly large — a mix of pizzas and pastas, along with sandwiches and entrees that really wouldn't be considered Italian at all.

"Even this place uses provel cheese," I mumble to myself, making Edward laugh. I finally settle on salmon, since it's one of the few dishes without the offending processed dairy product.

"Are you sure we're not going to run into one of your colleagues here?" I ask, worried that others may have been inspired by the conversation he overheard.

Edward smiles. "The guy who was looking for recommendations wanted to find a special place to take his wife for her birthday, since it's just a few days before Christmas and gets lost in the shuffle every year."

"So… they shouldn't be coming for another couple of weeks?"

"Exactly," he nods, just as our waitress drops off our salads.

"So," he says, breaking the silence a few minutes later. "I take it you haven't run into James at all this week."

 _Shit!_ I'd really wanted to wait until we were back at Edward's house for that discussion, so it didn't ruin our night. "Bella?" he prompts when I don't reply.

"I ran into him Thursday night," I admit. "Jake's car died so I had to pick him up after the basketball game. I was waiting in the arena near the locker rooms when James approached me."

"And?" he presses, eyes wide. "What happened? Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"He asked me how I did it — how I deleted the photos," I reply, ignoring his second question for now. "I denied doing anything, of course. He assumed Jake had stolen his phone from the locker room or something, until I pointed out that Jake wouldn't be able to get by his passcode."

Edward frowns. "How _did_ you guys open his phone?"

"James uses a thumbprint," I explain. "Either Jake or Emmett used his thumb to open it after he passed out. You know, he doesn't seem to have any idea that he passed out that night at the after-game party. It's like he remembered nothing at all once he woke up." Thank god.

"All right, so what happened Thursday? I assume nothing since you didn't text me."

"It's no big deal," I preface my explanation. "James got mad because he looked like a fool and he grabbed my wrist, but—"

"He touched you?" Edward confirms, his nostrils flaring.

* * *

 **A/N** : I'll change the title if anyone can think of a better one lol.

So James finally caught up with Bella. She got a good knee in, but Emmett's punch was more successful… And so was Rosalie calling for help! We'll learn next chapter if there will be any justice for James, while Bella has to deal with her boyfriend not freaking out. Moosals was upset with her for not telling Edward right away, though Bella had her reasons.

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: An early 80s song played at all the skating rinks and wedding receptions.


	27. Chapter 26: Celebration

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story!

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Kool and the Gang went to: **2loveybunnies** , **Debbi84** , **Taylor9901** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **2old4fanfic** , and **That'sMzPeachesTYVM**.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 26 – Celebration_

Edward's knuckles are turning white as he digs his fingers into the table top, trying to control his anger. I know I have to hurry my explanation to diffuse the situation.

"He grabbed my wrist and I kneed him right where it hurts," I smirk.

Edward is about to interrupt but I hold up a hand to stop him.

"Emmett's girlfriend was also waiting for him and she saw everything. She opened the locker room door and called for Emmett, who came out in his boxers to punch James. You should've seen the way he went down! One of the coaches heard the commotion and had Emmett call campus security so I could file a formal complaint. He might actually get in trouble this time — maybe even expelled!"

"But you're Ok?"

"I'm fine, Edward, I promise," I reply softly.

He lets out a long breath. "Why didn't you tell me this right away?"

"I was going to see you in class 12 hours later," I reply with a shrug. "You've already proven you have a tough time hiding your feelings for me."

Edward scowls. "So the campus security came and talked to you?"

I nod.

"Didn't James tell everyone what kind of photos were missing from his phone?"

"He just kept babbling something about deleting his proof — without specifying proof of _what_ exactly. When the security guard asked him to open his phone, he used his thumb to unlock it and the guard was like, how was anyone able to delete anything from your phone if it's protected? James had no answer for that, so they kind of dismissed everything he said as a justification for attacking me.

"I was a bit worried too, to be honest," I confess. "Rosalie — Emmett's girlfriend — sort of insisted that I file a complaint. I guess she knows other girls whom James has intimidated, but they always chose not to pursue anything.

"Jake, Emmett and Rosalie were right there to speak up with information against James. They made him out to be such a liar that I don't think anyone would've believed him even if he _had_ said that the photos were of the two of us."

"That was all a little too close for my comfort," Edward sighs. "As long as you're Ok."

"I am," I promise.

* * *

After dinner, we get back in the car for the long drive home — or what I think is the long drive home. Edward gets off the interstate at the Six Flags exit, and at first I wonder if he's planning to go to their Holiday in the Park event. I doubt it though; the temperature is below freezing and I'm pretty sure I read that the park closes at 8pm. It's nearly that late now.

Instead, he joins a line of cars entering Santa's Magical Kingdom. I smile when I see a ton of Christmas lights up ahead. The line takes freakin' forever — it's Saturday night, after all — but finally we're inside the park and driving through a tunnel of lights as long as a football field.

There is a store toward the end of the light and character displays, so we decide to stop there and check out inside.

"Look, you can get your photo taken with Santa!" Edward grins, pointing toward one end of the store.

"I'll pass," I laugh. I haven't had my photo with Santa since just before I went to live with my dad.

Instead, we each get a hot cocoa and a chocolate chip cookie before browsing the aisles of gifts, toys and holiday décor. I end up buying some garland and a wreath for our front door. Alice insisted on buying a small Christmas tree for our apartment a couple of weeks ago, even though we're not even going to be there over the holidays. I feel a bit bad that she took care of all of our decorating, so I want to contribute something as well.

Once I've paid for my purchases, Edward and I get back in the car and exit the park. It's about another half hour of driving to get back to his home.

Once we're inside, I hang up my coat and take my overnight bag into the bedroom. I've just set it down when Edward's arms wrap around me from behind. His nose nudges my hair out of the way before he places a warm kiss on the side of my neck, causing my whole body to break out in goosebumps.

"Let's go to bed," he whispers.

Spinning around in his arms, I wrap my arms around his neck, standing on my tiptoes so I can kiss him. Edward starts walking me backwards, and I sit when I feel the bed against the back of my legs. He reaches for the bottom hem of my sweater, and I raise my arms so he can pull it over my head.

"This is sexy," he says in a raspy voice, tracing along the top of my lacy new bra.

"Alice dragged me to Victoria's Secret," I explain, reaching out to lift Edward's shirt. She wanted to buy something new for herself as Jasper's Christmas present, and I couldn't resist a clearance item.

"What the hell is that?" Edward asks sharply.

I look up at his face, then follow his line of sight to my left wrist. I'd forgotten all about the bruises there.

"I-I told you that James grabbed my wrist."

"And left a bruise?"

"I have pale skin that bruises easily," I explain. You would've thought I was abused as a child from all of the bruises I got from being clumsy — falling or bumping into things.

Coming to sit beside me, he gently takes my left arm, his fingertips lightly brushing along the discolored skin. "Jesus, Bella… does it hurt?"

"No," I assure him. "I took a Tylenol when I got home Thursday night, but it doesn't hurt now."

Edward cups my cheek in his hand, looking at me tenderly. "If I ever get my hands on him…"

"I think you'll have to fight Alice for first dibs," I grin. "Emmett got a great punch in already though."

He gives me a tiny smile. "You have friends who care about you."

"I'm very lucky," I nod, winding my fingers around his.

He brings our joined hands to his mouth, kissing my knuckles, then lets out a long breath. "The thought of anything happening to you, Bella… I don't know what I'd do. I think I'd go crazy. I… I just… I love you so much."

I inhale sharply. He loves me?

"Shit," he chuckles. "I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that. I wanted to… I don't know, do something special for you, something cheesy and romantic."

I smile widely, climbing into his lap. "I think it was perfect. And for the record, I love you, too. I was just too afraid to say it first."

I make another attempt at lifting his shirt, and this time I'm successful. Tossing it to the floor, I slowly drag my fingers down from his shoulders over his chest, lightly circling his nipples.

"Does that feel good to you?"

He smiles. "It does, though maybe not as good as it feels to you."

I wind my arms around his neck and we kiss until I'm breathless — soft kisses, deep kisses, steamy kisses — until I'm nearly insane with want.

"Go lie on the bed," he whispers against my lips, and I hurriedly crawl off his lap and lie down with my head on the pillow.

Edward strips out of the rest of his clothes then removes my leggings and panties, reaching beneath me to unhook my bra. After tossing it aside, he takes my left nipple in his mouth, sucking gently. He gives the same attention to the other side, then begins placing tiny kisses in a line down my stomach.

I moan when he slides one long finger between my legs, circling my clit before pushing inside me. As his finger slowly moves in and out, he leans in and licks up the length of my slit with just the tip of his tongue.

"More," I beg shamelessly.

"As you wish," he smirks.

My eyes nearly roll back in my head when he flattens his tongue against me. I fist the sheets, babbling incoherent as Edward loves me with his mouth.

"Oh fuck!" I cry out as I come, the waves crashing over me again and again.

"I love watching you," he says softly, then crawls up my body. "And I love _you_."

Taking his cock in his hand, he lines it up with my entrance, slowly pushing all the way inside me. I wrap my arms around him, anchoring him to me as his slow, steady thrusts take me right to the brink again.

Edward stares into my eyes as he continues making love to me, and as we come together, I can see it, I can see the love there so plainly. I hope he can see the love reflected back in mine.

I don't even realize I'm crying until he gently kisses my tears away. "What's wrong?" he whispers.

"Nothing's wrong, I just love you. We're gonna make it, aren't we? We're only a week away from me not being your student anymore."

"We're gonna make it," he assures me, rolling off of me. "We'll have to continue to lay low over the next semester, but hopefully by next Fall I'll have a job at another school where no one will care if my girlfriend is still in college."

"And no one will care if my boyfriend is a college professor."

"Exactly," he smiles, kissing me gently. "You're mine, and I won't let anyone take you away from me."

I start to return the sentiment, but then I realize… I can't. I may be "his" but he's not _mine_. He still technically belongs to another woman. I can try to push Tanya to the back of my mind and tell myself that she no longer matters, but on paper, _she_ is Edward's wife.

"What is it?" he asks, brow furrowed.

"You're not mine," I blurt out. "You're still married to another woman."

Sighing, Edward sits up, running his hand through his hair roughly. "On paper," he agrees, "but not in my heart. I think… it's time Tanya and I file for divorce. She's had her US citizenship for 10 months now — hopefully long enough to not arouse suspicion. When you go back to Chicago for Christmas, I'll go too, just as we discussed, and I'll talk to her, start taking steps to end our marriage. All right?"

"Really?"

"Anything for you, baby," he says, stroking my face.

I'm smiling widely as I get up to get ready for bed.

* * *

Once Edward has brought me back to our apartment on Sunday morning, my life becomes all about finals. So far I'm making A's in all of my classes, and I don't want to ruin that with one or two bad exams.

There are no basketball games scheduled for finals week, but Jake still has a short practice on Tuesday night. Thankfully he's got his Rabbit back so neither Alice nor I has to go out and pick him up.

"Guess what?!" he yells the moment he steps in the door after practice. He's practically vibrating with excitement.

"You met a boy?" Alice asks excitedly.

Jake rolls his eyes, folding his long frame into a ball in the middle of the floor. "It's not that exciting, but almost — James is being brought up in front of the Student Conduct Committee, facing possible expulsion!"

"Because of me?" I ask in shock.

"Indirectly," he answers vaguely. "Rosalie spread the word of your formal complaint against James, and that encouraged a few other girls to come forward. They weren't new allegations, but it was the first time the intended victims had cooperated."

"Intended victims?" Alice asks.

Jake nods. "Remember I said there were rumors that he'd roofied a couple of girls? In one case, the girl's friend saw her acting really loopy with James hovering nearby, so she took her back to her dorm room. They assumed someone had put something in her drink, and James was the most likely candidate, but no one could prove it. The friend reported it, but the girl who'd been drugged didn't want to make a big deal of something she thought would go nowhere.

"In the second case, a friend actually walked in on James and her half-naked friend, who was practically passed out on a bed at a frat house. She got her friend out of there and reported it, but again, no proof James had actually done anything except take advantage of the situation."

"So what's different now?"

"Both girls reported their stories, and a few others came forward just to say that James was creepy or pushy with them, always wanting to get them a drink. James lives in an on-campus apartment and the campus PD got a warrant or whatever to search it. They found a little plastic bag with a few pills in it hidden somewhere in the room. Now they have to go to a lab for testing to be sure, but they're believed to be Rohypnol."

My eyes widen. "Wow! So he might really be gone?"

"Yep," Jake replies with a huge grin.

"I don't get why Rosalie is so… involved," I shrug, lacking a better word. "She was the one who insisted I file a complaint against James. I don't even know her."

Jake frowns. "Emmett told me this, but he said Rosalie is open about it. She was date raped in high school and is planning to become a women's rights lawyer. She volunteers with a support group on campus for survivors of any kind of violence."

"I can't believe he might really be expelled… wow," Alice says, shaking her head.

"It would be awesome to never have to deal with him again," I agree. "Especially since he seems to have it out for Edward and me."

"He's definitely not a very credible witness now," Jake smirks.

"I need to tell Edward," I realize, grabbing my phone off the coffee table. I quickly type out a shortened version of our conversation. I know he was worried about James potentially getting someone's attention with his accusations, but James has bigger fish to fry right now; I'm pretty sure Rohypnol is illegal to possess in the US. Of course, I never told Edward that James was rumored to have spiked some girls' drinks, so I have to tread carefully to avoid freaking him out now.

 **Karma is a bitch** , he replies. **Just be careful.**

 _I will. Love you._

 **I love you too. See you tomorrow.**

I smile as I toss my phone aside. Tomorrow is my final in Edward's class. As expected, Dr. Wall found no evidence of favoritism when he took a look at my past work for the class, but I expect he'll be looking at my final exam as well. Even if he doesn't, Edward will show me no mercy.

I bite my lip as the thought enters my head. I love it when we're naked and he shows me no mercy.

"Bella!" Alice yells, waving her hand in front of my face. "Where did your mind go?"

"Edward and I have a lot to celebrate this weekend," I grin.

"Oh gross," Jake complains, tossing a throw pillow at me. I toss it back, and then Alice gets in on the act. Soon the three of us are giggling and shrieking as we have a pillow fight, breaking the tension during this stressful week.

* * *

 **A/N** : So they finally said the L-word! And Edward said it first. He's also planning to ask Tanya for a divorce over Winter Break.

James is in trou-ble! He could potentially go to jail for possessing roofies, not just get expelled with one semester of college left.

It's been a few years since I went through Santa's Magical Kingdom with my friend and her two daughters. The line is ridiculous if you go the Saturday before Christmas lol.

Next update on **Monday**.

For a teaser: One of the iconic songs of the 80s by a British male singer… though it's become more famous for other reasons in the internet era. ;)


	28. Chapter 27: Never Gonna Give You Up

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story!

You've been Rick Rolled! Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Rick Astley went to: **queenbee311** , **lovedwardalways** , **bubblychick742** , **megsie1977** , **garddita17** , **edwardisaputz** , **AbruptlyChagrined** , **DeltaBelle33** , **namemeamy** , **SassYNoleS** , **HunterBrooke** , **miranda04** , **Taylor9901** , **PBJilly** , **TwilightVirtuosa** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **dawnhybb** , **chepburn77** , and **MissingDublin**. A lot of new names this time!

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 27 – Never Gonna Give You Up_

After my last final exam on Friday afternoon, I need nothing more than to de-stress — preferably naked. Instead, I head back to our apartment to start packing enough clothes for the next week, since Mom wants me to come back to Phil's house and hang out with them until I leave for Chicago on Friday to spend Christmas with Dad.

I also pack an overnight bag to spend tonight with Edward. I told Mom I'd be home by dinner time tomorrow, but I plan to stay at his place as long as he'll let me before he needs to kick me out so he can get started grading final exams. Not that I personally need the help, but at least I'll hopefully leave him in a good mood before he starts grading.

Edward texts me once he's home, suggesting that I pick up Mexican on my way. I call in our order then head out to pick it up.

He greets me with a kiss at the door, taking the bag with our dinner from my hand. After leaving my overnight bag in the bedroom, I join him in the kitchen.

"Any update on James since you sent me the text on Tuesday?" he asks as we dig into our meals. "I've been keeping my ears open, but I haven't heard anything."

"Jake heard that the pills in his room were definitely Rohypnol. He's facing charges for possession of a controlled substance. It's a Schedule IV drug, so if he's found guilty, the most he can get is a fine and three years in prison."

"That's something, I suppose."

"Well, he could get up to 20 years for distribution, apparently — depends on if he had enough pills that the authorities think they could go for the higher charge."

"You know it really was dangerous for your friend Jake to buy one of those pills and put it in James's drink."

"Jake didn't spike the drink himself; his friend Emmett did," I remind him. "Jake and James weren't exactly best buddies after Jake threw him out of my birthday party. Anyway, I know it was illegal, but the guy Jake bought the pill from apparently used to be a good friend. Quil's not going to squeal or blackmail him or anything like that."

Edward narrows his eyes, then shakes his head. "I know we're not supposed to talk about school," he begins, "but how were your finals?"

"Ok," I reply, letting out a long breath. "I'm happy they're over with… no more dick of an English teacher who gives us assignments over Thanksgiving break." Edward narrows his eyes again, and I break into a big smile. "Seriously, I'm just glad I never have to take a math or science class ever again!"

Edward chuckles. "It was even worse for me, having a father who's a doctor and couldn't understand why I didn't enjoy the same subjects he did."

"You said your mom ran an antiques store?" I ask hesitantly. He's rarely mentioned his mother since the day he told me about his family.

"Yeah," he nods.

"What did she study in college to do that? Art or something?"

He shakes his head. "History. It was a small, family-owned store that she took over managing for the elderly owners. I used to think it was cool when she'd bring me to the store, though I was never allowed to touch anything."

I smile. "Maybe there's a job for Jasper with his History degree, if he decides not to pursue Law. You know, I don't know what Alice is gonna do while he's back in Kennett for the next four weeks. At least you and I still be able to see each other occasionally.

"Oh, by the way… Mom wants to meet you sometime over Winter Break. I thought maybe later this week we could meet them for dinner? Is-is that Ok?"

"It's fine," he says, reaching out to touch my face lightly. "I'd like to meet your parents."

I frown. "I'm not sure about you meeting my dad. What if he remembers your name or — worse — meeting you at last year's parent-teacher conferences?"

"Bella," he sighs, "I love you. You aren't just some fling to me. I'm hoping that one day… you can be my wife," he says softly. I'm sure my eyes widen comically.

"I'll have to meet your dad eventually," he continues. "If he remembers me, then… we'll tell the truth about my being your AP English teacher. No one has to know that there was anything between us while you were still my high school student."

"I-I know, but…"

"No one has to know," he repeats.

I nod, giving him a small smile. "You really want to marry me someday?"

"I'm 28 years old — my goal is to settle down with the woman I love and start a family, when the time is right," he smiles. "And before you freak out, I know you're only 19. I know you're probably not looking to have children for several more years, and that's fine. We'll go at your pace."

I stare at Edward, biting my lip. Most of the time our age difference is really no issue for us, but this is one time when the life goals he's worrying about aren't _mine_. I just want to get through school and find a job paying a livable wage in a field that I enjoy. Would I like him to be by my side? Sure. I could definitely see myself marrying him. But being a mom is still so far in the future for me.

"Where is your head at?" he smiles.

"I-I can see myself married to you one day, but… there are things I want to do before I even think about having kids. My own parents had me far too early in their marriage, before they knew enough about each other to realize how incompatible they were."

He crooks his finger and I get up, situating myself on his lap. "I think you and I have a lot in common," he says, "and we're definitely compatible. But I'll wait for you to catch up to me. I don't want to rush you into anything. Just know that I intend to make you officially mine one day."

Smiling, I lean in to touch my lips to his.

"Why don't you go find a movie while I take care of the dishes?" he suggests, tapping my ass.

Now that finals are over, I'm in the mood for Christmas, so I sort through Edward's DVD options, looking for some type of holiday movie. When I find one, I get everything queued up and ready before he joins me in the living room.

"What did you find?" he asks, sitting beside me and taking me in his arms.

" _Elf_."

"Good choice," he smiles, and I hit Play on the remote control.

Though I've already seen it multiple times, I still smile and laugh through the entire movie. When it's over, I lie down with my head on one end of the couch and my socked feet in Edward's lap.

"You need a Christmas tree," I announce, looking around the room. "Seriously, it's only 10 days until Christmas."

"I left what few decorations we had in Chicago with Tanya — along with our tree," he shrugs.

"You can get a live tree," I suggest. "That's what Mom and Phil had last year. It was huge since he has a two-story living room."

"I have papers to work on grading tomorrow. I don't have time to go out looking for Christmas trees and decorations."

"So you can buy something after you're finished," I suggest. I'd be happy to go shopping with him.

"Not a live tree," he shakes his head. "It'll just die while I'm back in Chicago."

"You're really going?"

"I'm really going," he smiles, "though I haven't talked to Tanya yet. I really want to get the process started to become a single man. Maybe I can drive up with you on Friday."

"Together?" I question.

"We can follow each other," he suggests.

"Ok," I readily agree. I'd like nothing more than for Edward and Tanya to file for divorce as soon as possible.

"Do you want to watch another movie?"

I shake my head. "I've been kind of hoping for the chance to de-stress."

"Have you now?" he asks, a wicked grin on his face. "What did you have in mind?"

In answer, I rub my toes against the fly of his pants, smirking at how quickly he hardens.

"You want to play, huh? Go get naked on the bed."

God, I love it when he's bossy. Without hesitation, I jump off the couch and make my way to Edward's bedroom, shedding my clothes as soon as I get there. I leap onto the bed, making myself comfortable right in the center. After this stressful week, I just want to forget my own name tonight.

Edward follows just a minute or so later, and I see that he has my winter scarf in his hands. He must've taken it off of my coat.

"What's that for?" I ask, nodding toward it.

"What do you think? Put your arms up and grab the headboard."

A shudder runs through me when I realize he aims to tie me up. That sounds like fun, and with a knitted scarf as my binds, it shouldn't hurt at all.

"I have no idea how to do this," he chuckles as he starts wrapping the scarf around my wrists and the wooden posts on the headboard.

Once he's finished, he tugs his shirt over his head and moves to the end of the bed, wrapping one hand around each of my ankles and spreading my legs slightly.

"Did you ever touch yourself and think of me?" he asks playfully.

My eyes widen. "You-you mean before we had sex the first time?"

He nods.

"Yes," I confess, "but it didn't feel nearly the same as when you touch me." I wonder if Edward ever touched himself to thoughts of _me_ , but I'm not sure he'd tell me if he did. After all, he was my high school teacher then; it was beyond inappropriate.

"Did you use toys?" he whispers before I get up the nerve to ask, sliding his hands up my calves.

"No!" I giggle. "I'd only been 18 for a few weeks, remember?" I hadn't set foot in a sex shop — still haven't.

"Do you have toys _now_?"

"I don't need any when I have your monster cock to play with," I grin. Also, I'd die if I bought something off Amazon and Alice or Jake saw the package!

"Mmmm… but it might be fun for me to use toys on you. Didn't you say you wanted me to give you so many orgasms you'd lose your mind?"

I swallow thickly, wondering if it's wrong that this conversation is totally turning me on. Or maybe it's just his hands steadily creeping up my thighs.

And just when I think Edward is finally going to touch me _there_ , he lifts his hands. I give him the evil eye, but he just smirks at me as he touches my breasts with only the tips of his index fingers, slowly circling my nipples until they're hard and wanting.

"Will I find you wet, Bella?" he asks in the sexiest voice.

"Y-yes. Please touch me." Oh god, I'm so shameless.

Very slowly, he draws his fingers down from my breasts, causing goosebumps along their path. Smiling, he places one long middle finger at my entrance and slides it inside easily.

"Mmmm… you _are_ wet for me." Gushing, is more like it.

I whimper as he pulls his finger out, tracing everywhere between my legs except where I really want to feel it.

"Stop teasing!" I whine impatiently.

"Is this what you wanted?" he whispers — finally, finally circling my needy clit.

Dipping his finger back inside me, he slowly moves it in and out, stretching me for that monster cock when he adds a second finger. His thumb moves to my clit and my breathing speeds up in time with his movements.

I watch in awe as Edward struggles to open his pants with his free left hand. He takes out his hard-as-a-rock dick, jacking himself off while he fucks me with his fingers. It's so fucking hot to watch him touch himself that I'm screaming out my orgasm in no time.

"Turn over," he orders, slapping the side of my hip.

I hurriedly flip over as best I can with my wrists tied to the headboard, sort of ending up crossing my arms. I can hear him taking his pants off before I feel his weight kneeling on the bed.

Edward grabs hold of my hips to lift them off the bed slightly, then impales me with that 8.5-inch dick without warning.

"Oh god!" I yelp. As much as I love looking at his face when we have sex, I do enjoy it when he fucks me from behind like this. Maybe it's because it reminds me of our first time, when he bent me over his desk, and maybe it's because I can feel every single inch of him this way.

I'm still so sensitive from before that it feels like no time at all before I'm coming again. And suddenly, that big dick is gone!

Edward helps me to flip back over and then he's inside me again, his pace never slowing.

"I like… this view better," he pants, staring down at my chest where my breasts are bouncing wildly back and forth from the force of his thrusts.

"You're such a guy!" I chuckle, but the joke is on me shortly afterward when he brings his fingers back to my clit, helping me to yet another orgasm.

"Oh fuck!" he yells, spilling inside me.

I close my eyes, throwing my head back as he pulls out of me. If there is such a thing as fucked silly, that's me right now.

"You are so beautiful," Edward whispers, and I slowly open my eyes, shocked by the awe on his face. "I love you so much. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen when you're freshly fucked. Your skin is flushed and covered with a light sheen of sweat. Your pussy is perfectly rosy pink and glistening with my cum."

"Yeah… about that…" It's probably seconds from leaking out of me onto the sheets.

"I'll take care of it," he says, jumping off the bed. I have no idea how he can just go back to acting normally right after he's just fucked me into oblivion. Me, I just want to crash here and never get up again.

When Edward comes back, he cleans me up, then crawls up the bed and carefully unties my hands.

"Was that Ok?" he asks tentatively, rubbing my wrists.

"More than Ok," I assure him, still totally blissed out.

He shakes his head, grinning at me. "I'm gonna get ready for bed."

"Edward?" I call after him, giggling. "What's my name?"

* * *

 **A/N** : Check it out: youtube/ watch?v=APmoU74ZsG4

So James is in big, big trouble, and Edward wants to marry Bella one day. She's a little freaked out, since at 19 years old, she's not ready for marriage.

Edward isn't into tying girls up (note his comment about having no idea what he's doing), but he's trying to give Bella her fantasies. At least the ones he's comfortable with.

Next update on **Thursday**.

For a teaser: I heard this trivia on the 80s on 8 VJ Top 40 Countdown a few weeks ago. This song set a new record for the oldest female singer to have a #1 hit. The record was broken when Cher hit #1 with _Believe_ over a decade later. Need more of a hint? The band had three different incarnations.


	29. Chapter 28: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

**Author Note:** Thanks for the great response to this story!

A Guest questioned Edward the English teacher asking, "Where is your head at?" in the prior chapter. It's not technically correct grammar, and I doubt he'd use that in writing, but it's _very_ Midwestern, especially the Chicago area.

Teasers for guessing the chapter title from Starship went to: **garddita17** , **EdwardsFirstKiss** , **AbruptlyChagrined** , **edwardisaputz** , **tawelephant** , **k8ln713** , **Taylor9901** , **sully527** , **Hannah9231** , **NKubie** , **LuvinTwilight143** , **TrulyOutrageous** , and **dawnhybb**. Grace Slick was 47 years old when the song from the movie _Mannequin_ hit #1 in 1987.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 28 – Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now_

I open my eyes to a bright and sunny morning. And the feeling that I really need to pee.

I pop out of Edward's bed and make my way to the bathroom, washing my hands and then brushing my teeth when I'm finished. When I step back into the bedroom, Edward is sitting up on the bed, scrubbing his hands over his stubbly face.

"Good morning," I smile.

"Have I ever told you how good you look in my t-shirts?"

Despite everything we did last night, just that simple compliment has my face flaming. "No, I don't think you have."

I walk over toward the bed, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Do you want to shower with me?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Would this be a… recreational shower?" I grin.

"Most definitely," he grins back, sliding his legs out from under the covers.

While Edward is using the bathroom, I dig today's outfit from my overnight bag and set the clothes on his dresser.

I hear the shower turn on and then he opens the door, motioning for me to join him. Stepping inside the shower, I stand under the spray while he squirts my strawberry-scented body wash into his hands. He very thoroughly lathers me up, paying extra special attention to my breasts.

Once I've returned the favor, we each wash our hair — I finally bought some of my brand shampoo and conditioner to keep here. While I'm rinsing out the conditioner, Edward sneaks behind me, pulling and tugging at my nipples.

Turning my head when I'm finished, I capture his lips in a kiss, my hand drifting down his chest and stomach to tug at his cock.

"Put your leg up on the seat," he suggests, and I bite my lip as he sinks to his knees. Spreading me open wide, he puts his mouth on my slit, his lips and tongue rapidly working me into a frenzy.

Before I can get all the way there, he pulls away and stands up. "I'm too old for this," he whines. "My knees don't appreciate the hard floor."

"Big baby," I laugh. I had no issues with it.

"Turn around."

I turn to face the wall, and Edward lifts my leg onto the seat again. Bracing my hands on the wall, I feel the BDE positioned at my entrance. He slides inside then slowly pulls out again.

Hands on my hips, he continues to fuck me until I'm whimpering and crying out and my knees start to buckle. Spinning me around, he lifts me up, pinning me to the shower wall with his body as he guides himself inside me again.

"Oh!" I yell out. Oh hell, why haven't I let him do this before? It reminds me of the day back in October when Edward and I made out against the wall in his office.

Looking down, I can see that huge dick disappearing inside me over and over again. It's fascinating to watch.

"You like watching me fuck you?" he asks, biting at my lip.

"Mmmm…" I'm too incoherent to say anything else.

When I come, it's just as earth-shattering as I expected. Edward groans loudly before freezing in place, buried deep inside me.

Very slowly, he pulls away and lowers my feet to the ground, holding on to me in case I can't quite stand yet. Once I'm feeling more stable, I wash away any mess.

"Holy hell," I moan as he turns the water off. "Why haven't we done that before?"

"I think you were too sore the last time I suggested it," he chuckles, handing me a fluffy towel.

"Oh yeah… too bad."

I step out of the shower, continuing to dry off, then pick up my clothes from the dresser and get dressed.

"Must you?" I complain when I see what Edward is wearing.

"What?" he asks in confusion, looking down at himself.

"Sweatpants? Where I can see the entire outline of your dick?"

"You can't possibly want my dick again," he says wryly, throwing on a t-shirt.

"Well… not right this second," I agree.

He pulls me close, distracting me with a kiss as he slaps my ass. "You and your leggings are just as bad. But I've worked up a different kind of hunger, so… feed me."

"Bossy!" I call over my shoulder, sauntering down the hallway.

I open the fridge first to take inventory, but there are only a couple of eggs — not enough to make omelets or anything like that. Next, I open the pantry, looking for who knows what. When I spot a box of Bisquick and a fresh bottle of maple syrup, I decide to make pancakes.

While the griddle is heating up, I mix up the batter and Edward sets the table. I pour out enough for two pancakes then stand watching them to see when it's time to flip them.

"This is nice," Edward says, wrapping his arms around me from behind. He nudges my hair out of the way, placing a warm kiss on my neck. "I like waking up with you."

"Me too."

"Maybe… we could do it all the time?"

I spin around so fast I nearly knock both of us over. "Y-you mean… live together?"

He nods. "Not right away," he hurriedly clarifies. "Next Fall, maybe. Once I've got a new job and it won't seem suspicious for the two of us to have the same address."

"My mom would have a conniption," I chuckle, turning around to check the pancakes. I flip them over, then turn back to Edward. "Are you serious?" I'm not really sure how I feel about his suggestion while I'm still in school. Not to mention, I enjoy living with Alice and Jake.

"Yes, I'm serious," he replies with a smile. "I don't envy you the task of telling your mother though."

Smacking his arm, I turn back to the griddle to see if the pancakes are done. "Hand me a plate, please."

Once I've got two pancakes on a plate for Edward, I start making two of my own. He's nearly done with his plate before I sit down to pour the maple syrup on mine.

"I suppose you're going to tell me to make my own if I want more, huh?"

"I hope you were watching me closely," I grin. "I did the hard part and measured out the ingredients."

A few minutes later, Edward sits back down with a plate of slightly over-browned — but acceptable — pancakes.

"Where'd you learn to cook?" he asks.

"My mom was a horrible cook, so as soon as I could read the instructions, I was using the microwave to heat up meals for myself. When I moved in with my dad, I found he wasn't a very good cook either. The wife of one of his coworkers taught me a few things, and the rest I learned at school," I shrug.

"They still teach Home Economics?"

"Yeah," I nod, "only they don't call it that any more. It's called FACS — Family and Consumer Science."

He just stares at me for a moment. "You're not serious."

"Oh, I am!" I grin. "I wouldn't say I have any special skills, but I can follow a recipe. My mom took cooking lessons at a local grocery store and that really helped her. I'd like to do that myself, but a more advanced class. Maybe next summer when I'm not busy with school.

"I should get Alice to sign up with me, too. Her family had a private chef so she knows _nothing_." I suppose she'd have to start with a beginner's class though.

Edward laughs. "I suppose my family would've been considered well off, but we didn't have a private chef — just a housekeeper who came every two weeks. Clearly I need to sign up for some kind of maid service," he grins.

"Your house isn't that bad," I argue. "You just never make your bed."

He laughs again. "Less to do when it's time to go to sleep."

Once we've finished eating, I let Edward take care of loading the dishwasher, while I sit and watch his ass in those sweatpants.

"You know I've been thinking," he begins. "Maybe when you're ready to come back from Chicago, if the timing works out, we can stop in Jacksonville and have dinner with my parents?"

My eyes widen. "M-meet your parents?" I stutter.

"Well, I'm supposed to meet your mom and stepdad this week, right?" he chuckles.

"I-I guess. I've never 'met the parents' before," I admit, using air quotes. "Do you think they'll like me?

Edward walks over to me and grabs my hands, pulling me to my feet. "Of course they will," he assures me, smiling softly. "I think you'll have a much easier time with them than I will with your mother."

"And my father?"

He cringes. "Yeah, about that… I don't think I should meet him over Christmas. If we postpone it as long as possible, I think we have plausible deniability for when our relationship actually began — assuming he remembers me, that is."

"Dad's a cop, remember? He will."

"Mostly likely," he nods. "So when do you need to leave?"

"Mom wants me home by dinner time."

He looks up at the clock hanging over the sink. "It's not quite noon."

"Plenty of time," I grin, squeezing his hands. "I just want to celebrate the fact that for the first time, we're not doing anything wrong. You're no longer my teacher."

"You're insatiable."

"Are you complaining?"

"Not a bit," he says, shaking his head. He tugs on my hands, leading me out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the bedroom.

"Was there something in particular you had in mind? Any fantasies you want to live out?" he asks, eyes sparkling.

Smiling, I sink down to my knees, then tug Edward's sweatpants and boxers down. He's not hard, but I'm sure that can be remedied quite easily.

"I want to learn to deep throat your monster cock."

"Bella," he chuckles, "I've told you that you don't have to do that."

"I know," I smile, looking up at him. I lick my palm — which tastes faintly of maple syrup — then grasp his dick in my hand, sliding it up and down a few times. "It's like magic," I grin as it begins to harden.

Leaning forward, I lick the tip, then suck it into my mouth, swirling my tongue all around. I lick around every side of his shaft until it's nice and wet, then squeeze it in my hand a few times as I suck on the head. Hard as a freakin' rock. And once again, I can feel myself getting wetter at just the thought that I can give him so much pleasure.

"Just relax," Edward says, putting one hand lightly on the back of my head. "Open your mouth."

I open it wide, letting him gently fuck my mouth. He doesn't try to shove more than a few inches inside though, so it's never more than I can handle. At some point, I realize that I'm taking in more and more of his dick with each pass. I try to stay relaxed and breathe through my nose, slow even breaths.

And… then he goes too far. I immediately gag, coughing once he's quickly withdrawn. Maybe I shouldn't have tried this so soon after breakfast.

"Are you all right, baby?"

"Yes," I gasp out.

"I'd say you got at least six inches without gagging," he says, wrapping his fingers around his dick to show me. "I think you'll get there someday. Maybe we can find a dildo my size at a sex shop so you can practice."

I look up at Edward, giving him the evil eye before scrambling to my feet. "Do they actually sell dildos that big?"

"I'm sure they do," he chuckles, stripping out of the rest of his clothes. "You're not the only woman with a big dick fetish."

"I do not have a fetish!"

"Suuuuure," he says, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Watch it or I'm gonna leave you with blue balls."

"You know I know how to take care of that on my own."

I glare at him.

"Get over here and get on my dick," he orders, laughing.

Just for that, I take my time stripping out of my clothes, leaving my bra and panties for last. Edward is still on the edge of the bed, lightly stroking his dick. I climb onto his lap, straddling him while sitting a few inches away from his needy dick.

Reaching out, I grasp it in my hand and give it a few tugs before getting to my knees and placing it at my entrance. Slowly, I slide down, relishing the feeling of him filling me.

"Lean back," Edward suggests, hands poised along my lower back to keep me from falling. He's able to use his feet on the floor for leverage to make long slow thrusts that threaten to drive me insane.

After a few minutes, he lifts me to a sitting position and scoots back further onto the bed. I sink down on him again, letting him help me to move as I take what I need from his body. I'm writhing shamelessly as I chase my orgasm, long past any shyness I used to feel when we're like this.

"C-close," I groan, and he speeds up his efforts, sending both of us over the edge.

I collapse forward onto Edward's torso, lying there blissfully as he rubs my back gently. Finally I lean my chin on his chest, looking up at him.

He smiles at me, tracing the shape of my lips with one finger. "I love you."

"You have to say that," I reply tiredly, rolling off of him. "I nearly deep-throated your monster cock," I boast.

Edward laughs. "You had at least two inches left, so don't go exaggerating now."

I lean in to kiss his pouty lips. "I love you too."

The sound of the doorbell chiming startles us both.

"Who could that be?" I whisper, as if whoever is at the door can hear us. "My car is in your driveway!"

"I doubt it'd be anyone from school," he replies, sitting up. Finding his clothes on the floor, he steps into them. "I'll close the door, but… you might want to get dressed."

"Leave it open a crack so I can hear," I suggest, and he nods his agreement.

Once he's gone, I rush to the bathroom to clean up, then grab my clothes as I go to stand behind the door.

"Tanya!" I hear Edward's voice ring through the house. _Oh shit!_

* * *

 **A/N** : So Tanya's come for a visit! What could she want?

Bella is 70% of the way there in her quest to deep throat the monster cock, haha!

My friend's daughter really did take Family and Consumer Science in middle school. I laughed so hard.

* * *

There's going to be a (hopefully) short delay before the next chapter. I had an original path planned for the story, but then changed it. Unfortunately, in three months I couldn't get inspired enough to write even one full chapter of the second idea, so I've gone back to my original idea. I just can't manage to get anything written during the week. I'm about 40% of the way through the next chapter, and then it has to go off to moosals for pre-reading. I'm going to a concert again Saturday night (saw U2 last Friday), but hopefully I can make progress this weekend. Thanks for your patience.

No teaser this time since the chapter doesn't have a title yet.


	30. Chapter 29: Never Tear Us Apart

**Author Note:** Thanks you for your patience! I'm back with another chapter, and the following one is 75% completed.

Thanks again to moosals for pre-reading. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters.

* * *

 _Chapter 29 – Never Tear Us Apart_

"Hello, Edward," Tanya says before I hear the sound of the front door closing.

"What are you doing here?" he asks. "I didn't know you were coming."

I can't quite hear her answer over the sound of footsteps on the hardwood floor.

"I was actually planning to go back to Chicago to see you next weekend," he continues.

"Whose car in that in your driveway?" she asks. Of course I couldn't have expected her not to notice that there are two cars.

"It… belongs to my girlfriend. She's in the bedroom."

"Girlfriend?" she repeats. I'm relieved that she sounds more shocked than angry.

"Um, yeah—I was going to tell you next weekend… Can I take your coat?"

It's quiet for a few moments, and I can almost picture Tanya removing her coat, and Edward moving to hang it in the coat closet next to mine. _Jesus._

"Please have a seat," Edward says. "I'll be back in a moment."

Seconds later, the bedroom door slowly opens and Edward's face appears.

"What does she want?" I whisper, trying to control my panic.

"I have no idea," he whispers back. "If it concerns us, you have a right to be there for the conversation."

My eyes widen. "You want me to come out there?"

Nodding, he reaches for my hand, tugging lightly. My heartbeat racing, I let Edward lead me down the hallway to the living room. I try not to faint at the sight of the beautiful blonde seated on the loveseat. She's even more stunning than I remember. I feel so plain in comparison, especially since I'm not even wearing any make-up.

Surprisingly, Tanya gives me a small smile as she looks as me curiously. "Hello."

"Tanya, this my girlfriend, Bella," Edward introduces me. "Bella, this is my wife, Tanya."

"H-hello," I reply back, resisting the urge to start laughing hysterically at the hoosier scenario of meeting my boyfriend's wife.

Edward leads me to sit beside him on the couch, never letting go of my hand. "So what brings you here, Tanya? Why didn't you call first?"

"I sent you a text last night, and another this morning when I left," she replies.

"You did?" he asks in confusion, freezing once he sees his phone lying on the coffee table. He reaches out to pick it up, then frowns. "Battery's dead. I forgot to charge it last night."

"I can see you were busy," she replies with a little smirk. _Oh my god…_

He clears his throat, the tips of his ears turning pink. "I really was planning to tell you about Bella soon. I was planning to drive up to Chicago on Friday for Christmas, once I've finished grading final exams."

"I… won't be in Chicago for Christmas. I'm spending the holiday in Aspen," she smiles. "That's why I wanted to come talk to you this weekend while I had the chance."

"Oh-kay?" he asks, sounding confused.

Tanya takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I don't expect you'll be opposed to this, but… I think it's time we file for divorce."

My mouth drops open as I stare at her; it's like she's reading our minds.

"You see, I've met someone, too. We've been dating for three months now. Stefan's family owns a vacation home in Aspen where we'll be spending Christmas. He's amazing," she gushes. "He knows all about our… situation. I know it bothers him that I'm married, despite the fact that we're intending to divorce."

"Do you think it's safe?" Edward asks. "I mean, would Immigration have any interest in us now that you've had your citizenship for nearly a year?"

"I can't imagine they'd care any longer. Are you Ok with it then?"

"Yes, of course!" he exclaims, squeezing my hand. "I was actually going to ask _you_ about a divorce next weekend."

Tanya laughs. "We always were on the same page," she says fondly. "So how long have the two of you been dating?"

"Our first date was in early October," he replies, glancing over at me. "Like Stefan, Bella isn't comfortable with the fact that I'm married. And… I'd like to be free to marry her one day."

She smiles widely. "I never thought I'd see the day… Edward Cullen in love. Who would've ever thought… the man who only cared about his career completely gone over a woman," she grins.

I can't help giggling at his obvious embarrassment.

"How did you two meet?" Tanya asks, looking straight at me. I'm like a deer in headlights for a moment — can we trust her with more of the truth than we've given others? Edward obviously thinks she's a wonderful person.

"Bella is a student at UMSL," he replies for me.

"She attends the school where you teach?" Tanya asks, the shock evident in her voice.

"Yes, I do," I speak up for the first time.

"Isn't that against the rules?"

"Only if she were actually my student. Still, we have to keep a low profile. I'm looking for a position at another school in the area," he explains. "It'll just be easier all around."

"That makes sense," she nods. "What year are you, Bella?"

"Um, I just finished my first semester, but I have enough AP credits from high school that I'm officially a sophomore."

"And here I thought you hated teenagers, Edward," Tanya giggles.

"Only the ones who don't make an effort in my class," he retorts, making her laugh harder.

"How did you and Stefan meet?" I ask, trying to get the spotlight away from Edward and me.

"I met him while jogging along the lake front. We struck up a conversation, and when he asked me out, I accepted. I almost declined, given that I'm technically married, but he was cute and nice… I wanted to see where it went."

"He's not the reason you suddenly decided to go vegan, is he?" Edward asks.

"Yes," she chuckles. "Stefan owns a gym and he's all about being healthy. You should try it."

"I'll pass," he says, rolling his eyes.

"You know, you look really familiar, Bella," Tanya says, tilting her head as she stares at me. "Have we met before?"

"I-I don't know how we would have," I stutter. Edward hasn't mentioned it, so I doubt he wants to tell Tanya to know that he was my high school teacher in Chicago. "I think I just have one of those faces."

She smiles. "Could be," she replies, nodding. "I hope I didn't… interrupt anything," she smirks. "I mean, it's well past noon."

"Bella was planning to leave soon anyway to spend Winter Break with her mom and stepdad," Edward explains. "They're in the area, though Bella lives with a couple of friends in an apartment much closer to campus during the semester."

"I probably do need to go back to the apartment and pack," I admit. While a part of me would like to stay for as long as Tanya is here, I don't want to increase the chances of her realizing that she truly has met me before.

Standing up, I head back to the bedroom to collect my toiletries and overnight bag. When I come back, Edward is plugging in his phone on the kitchen counter. He rushes to meet me as I grab my coat from the closet, then opens the front door for me and steps out onto the porch.

"I'll text you when I get a chance," he whispers. "Just let me know about dinner with your parents."

"Ok," I agree.

"I love you." Before I can reply, he leans down and kisses me gently. "See you soon."

I head out to my car, waving to Edward as I toss my bag onto the backseat. I climb into the driver's seat and let out a long breath. It seems like we're getting everything we want, so why do I still feel nervous?

* * *

It's 11:30pm and I've just crawled into bed when my phone finally dings with a new text message from Edward. I've been wondering for the last several hours if he has forgotten about me, while trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 **Are you still awake? - E**

 _Yep. Just got in bed._

A few second later, my phone rings and I rush to answer it before it wakes Mom or Phil.

"Hey," I greet Edward.

" _What are you wearing?_ "

I start giggling at his cliché line. "Wouldn't you like to know," I tease, stretching out as I lie down and get comfortable.

He laughs. " _Sorry I didn't get a chance to text you earlier. Tanya wanted to visit the art museum in Forest Park while she was in town, and then we went out for dinner._ "

"Where is she now?" I ask, jealously wanting to quiz him about being out to dinner until 11:30 at night.

" _Here; spending the night in the guest room. She'll drive back to Chicago after breakfast tomorrow._ "

As irrational as it is, I don't like that goddess sleeping in the room next to Edward, though I suppose the same thing would likely happen in Chicago. I'm really glad she's leaving in the morning, but I would never say that. "And you're really going to file for divorce?"

" _Yes,_ " he sighs. " _Tanya is going to talk to a lawyer this week about filing. Hopefully we can get things moving once she's back from Aspen. Obviously I won't be driving to Chicago this Friday, but I'll probably have to go up there at some point before classes start in January._ "

"Oh," I frown, though of course he can't see me. I'd been counting on being able to sneak out and see Edward while visiting Dad over the next couple of weeks.

" _What's wrong?_ " Edward asks.

"I'll miss you while I'm in Chicago," I admit, feeling pathetic. I guess I shouldn't have laughed at Alice missing Jasper for four weeks. "Are you sure you can't drive up anyway?"

" _You're supposed to be spending time with your dad and your old friends,_ " he chuckles. " _And once Tanya gets back, I'd feel a little weird staying there in the house while she's got another guy coming over. But like I said, if I need to take care of anything in regards to the divorce, I'll go._

" _Oh, also Tanya and I discussed it tonight, and we're going to put our house up for sale. Stefan apparently owns a great condo closer to downtown, so she'll be moving in with him._ "

"Wow, that seems fast, doesn't it?" Tanya and Stefan have been dating only slightly longer than Edward and I have! I mean, I know he's mentioned moving in together, but he didn't mean right now.

" _Believe me, she's head over heels for this guy,_ " he chuckles. " _I heard more than enough about him tonight. I'm happy for her though; she deserves all the happiness in the world._

" _And, you know, once we sell the house, I should be able to buy a house in St. Louis — well, assuming I get a job offer somewhere,_ " he laughs.

"That'd be awesome," I agree. I'm not ashamed to accept that I'd like to see anything tying Edward and Tanya together demolished. I know they'll probably always be friends, but getting divorced and selling the house they own together will help my irrational jealousy of feeling like a Hyundai next to a cherry red Ferrari.

" _I have to admit, I was a little bit worried when Tanya just showed up this morning out of the blue. I was afraid it was bad news, but instead, we got the best possible news, didn't we? Hopefully by summer, I'll be a free man and I'll have a new job at one of the other universities in St. Louis._ " He lets out a long breath. " _Maybe we didn't start out conventionally, but we're getting everything we wanted._ "

"I keep wondering when the next shoe is going to drop," I confess quietly.

" _It's not, baby,_ " he reassures me. " _It'll be smooth sailing from here on out._ "

"I don't know… there's still dinner with my parents this week."

Edward laughs. " _I've never had to do the 'meet the parents' thing since Tanya's parents were in Siberia, but how hard can it be?_ "

"Mom thinks you're too old for me."

" _Your mom needs to learn how amazing you are._ "

I can't hold in my grin. "Is Thursday night ok? Phil suggested Stoney River; it's by Chesterfield Mall."

" _That should work,_ " he agrees. " _In the meantime, I'll be busy grading finals._ "

"You haven't looked at mine yet, have you?" I tease.

" _I haven't had time to look at any, but I wouldn't tell you if I had,_ " he chuckles. " _Anyway, I'd better let you go. Tanya wants to get an early start tomorrow. Ugh… I'd almost forgotten what a morning person she is._ "

I can't help laughing, though I'm thrilled that this is yet another area where Edward and I are compatible. "I love you."

" _I love you, too. Text me when you know the time for Thursday._ "

"I will. It'll probably depend on Phil's work schedule. Happy grading!"

He laughs. " _Goodnight, baby._ "

Grinning, I plug my phone into the charger and turn off the lamp, then get settled in my bed. Though I can't shake the bad feeling, I know I need to stay positive. Edward and I are one step closer to being free to be together than we were last night.

* * *

I spend the next five days baking cookies with my Mom and shopping for Christmas gifts. Despite growing up with my father, I never have any idea what to get men for Christmas, and I've got four of them to buy for this year! At least I can wait for the after-Christmas sales to get something for Alice, since her dad surprised her and her mom with a ski trip to the French Alps for the holiday. I won't see her again until I get back from Chicago in January.

Edward and I talk on the phone every night, but I still miss him. By Thursday night, I'm really looking forward to seeing him again, even though I have an irrational fear that Mom or Phil will just somehow _know_ that he was my teacher — twice!

When we arrive at Stoney River steakhouse on Thursday night, I look around while we wait for the hostess, but I can't see Edward anywhere. We're led to a booth along the wall and when I look back toward the door, I realize there's no way Edward will see us back here.

"I'm gonna go wait for Edward out front," I announce, taking my coat off. I hang it on a nearby hook, then head back to the front of the restaurant.

After just a minute or two, I break into a wide smile when my boyfriend steps inside. Unable to stop myself, I throw my arms around his neck.

"That's quite a greeting," he smiles, pecking my lips twice.

"I missed you," I shrug, not the least bit embarrassed. "Are you ready to meet my parents?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he replies, and I take his hand in mine.

* * *

 **A/N** : Most of you were cautiously optimistic that Tanya had come to ask for a divorce. She's met someone special, too! This was my original plot line, before I thought about throwing a big twist at you guys.

I had to define "hoosier" for moosals. The official definition is someone from Indiana, but the St Louis definition is basically redneck. You can look it up on Urban Dictionary.

Next update should be next week sometime, I hope. Will Renee behave when meeting her daughter's older boyfriend?

For a teaser: This Grammy-winning song from 1988 was by an artist who's much better known as an actor.


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